Sections News

Marin girl fights slavery with lemonade

Here’s your warm and fuzzy for today: A spunky eight-year-old from Fairfax is changing the world — and making the rest of us look bad — through the simple act of selling lemonade.

While most kids her age have spent their summer burning worms on the sidewalk or making over their Barbie dolls, Vivienne Harr has dedicated hers to helping end child slavery through sales from her lemonade stand.

Harr calls the project her “stand against slavery,” and it’s no small lemons: As of Saturday afternoon, the Marin Independent Journal reported she’s raised more than $30,000 for the cause in less than three months.

It’s no surprise one of her favorite quotes is “big things have small beginnings.”

Harr’s ultimate goal? To end slavery in her lifetime.

Though Vivienne initially charged $2 per cup of her organic fair trade lemonade, her dad Eric explained customers now pay what they can:

“We’re betting on the goodness of people […]. We said, ‘Pay what’s in your heart.'”

The Harr’s goal is to raise $150,000 through lemonade sales and donations at their website, Make A Stand Lemonade.

Proceeds benefit Not For Sale, a Half Moon Bay-based nonprofit whose mission is to fight human trafficking and modern-day slavery around the world.

According to the organization’s website, there are more than 30 million slaves today, more than at any other time in history.

In a recent interview with KPIX-TV, the bespectacled Harr was asked, “What would you say to someone who says, ‘You’re only eight. What can you do to make a change?”

She replied:

“Gandhi was one person. Mother Teresa was one person. Why can’t YOU be one person who helps?”

Last modified August 20, 2012 6:01 pm

Share

This website uses cookies.