9-Year-Old Boy Raises Over 2K For Detroit

Joshua Smith, the 9-year-old Detroit boy who earned national attention for setting up a lemonade stand to help raise money for his cash-strapped city, presented a check to the city today for $2,832.64 with his family.

His father, Flynn Smith said his son’s effort raised $3,600 in profit — more than triple the $1,000 Joshua initially hoped to raise when he first set up the stand on July 30. Flynn Smith said remainder will be presented to the city by electronic bank transfer later.

Joshua was given a Spirit of Detroit award last week for his youthful entrepreneurship by Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, who this morning called Joshua a superstar and “wonderful young man.”

But the modest youngster had few words, saying “Thank you!” for his award and leaving it to his parents to explain the larger significance of why Joshua’s lemonade stand brought out people from all over metro Detroit, from Navy sailors and University of Michigan athletes to suburban grandmothers, to pitch in to his cause.

Read more…