Five-year-old sets up lemonade stand to support sick kids (6 photos)

Saultites are generous people who love to give, and a five year old Sault girl is getting an early start on doing good deeds for others.

On May 21 (Victoria Day) Ainslee Medaglia set up a lemonade stand outside her parents home, charging 25 cents per cup, with the intention of raising money to buy toys for children in Sault Area Hospital’s Paediatrics unit. 

“I wanted to help other people,” Ainslee told SooToday.

“It (the lemonade) cooled everybody off on a hot day,” she smiled.

With friends and family pitching in, Ainslee raised $50, and, accompanied by her aunt Christina Carchidi, went off to a local mall and bought a wide variety of toys for the SAH Paediatrics children to enjoy.

Carchidi is a SAH Paediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) registered nurse.

“When she always asks me why I have to go to work on weekends or over night, I always tell her that Auntie has to go take care of the sick kids who have to stay in the hospital. So she is very aware that kids are sick and have to spend time in the hospital,” Carchidi told us.

“She is such a thoughtful little girl,” said Carchidi, who delivered the toys, with Ainslee, to the Paediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) later in the week.

“She is a very compassionate and caring child,” said Kirsti Medaglia, Ainslee’s mother.

“Sometimes she covers me up with a blanket and put a pillow under my head,” said grandfather Carlo Medaglia. 

Items purchased included Kool Pops (“if they have a sore throat,” Ainslee said), Barbie and other decorative Band Aids, stuffed animals for children to hold (“if they’re scared,” she said), two Magic Pony toys (blue for boys, pink for girls), baby blankets, colouring books and crayons, Moana activity books, Finding Dory Swigglefish, toy cars and paddle ball sets.

“With 50 dollars we got all this,” Ainslee said, happily pointing to the toys laid out on a table in the Paediatrics unit.

“I’m absolutely proud of her. It’s very cool to be so selfless, to want to care for other kids at five,” mother Kirsti said.

When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, Ainslee smiled and pointed to her Aunt Christina, dressed in her registered nurse gear.  

“I’m going to keep doing this,” Ainslee smiled.