Girl sells cupcakes, jewelry to donate to cancer center drive

Drew Heyemer is shown with some of the money she made selling jewelry and cupcakes. Heyemer plans on donating the money to the Fitzgibbon Hospital cancer center campaign. [Click to enlarge]

Regulars who showed up for their usual hair appointment at Renee's Beauty Shop, 404 E. Gordon in Marshall, got their hair done, the usual friendly conversation with owner, Jeanne Holland, and a little extra last week -- Holland's granddaughter, 9-year-old Drew Hemeyer was there selling fresh-baked cupcakes and jewelry that she had made herself, for only 50 cents a piece.

You can imagine the fuss that was made over her, the nice little girl with a big smile, whom her grandmother calls "a little bashful."

She sold lots of jewelry, and lots of chocolate cupcakes. The one-dollar bills, and quarters were carefully placed in a plastic container for safe keeping.

It's a nice story.

But if you dig a little deeper, the story becomes extraordinary. When you find out that Hemeyer is going to donate all of the money that she makes to the Fitzgibbon Hospital Auxiliary to help fund a proposed cancer center in Marshall, you realize that Hemeyer is more than a nice little girl with a pretty smile, you realize that she is an exceptional person.

Holland says that Hemeyer came up with the idea all by herself. "She just said she wanted to give it away," Holland said with a shrug of her shoulders and a proud smile.

Hemeyer, who lives in Kansas City but is staying with her grandmother in Marshall for a couple of weeks, doesn't care about attention, or recognition for her good deed, she just wants to help.

The sign, printed in crayon on construction paper, reads only: "Hand made jewelry. 50 cents" There is no mention that the money is for charity, or that she will donate it.

"I was thinking about keeping it, but then I thought about my when my grandma donated some, I thought it would be nice and helpful." Hemeyer said.

When she does go back to Kansas City, she won't be carrying a big wad of money with her earned for all of her hard work. What she will take back with her is the knowledge that she did something selfless, she helped people and she helped a community.

Knowing that is worth more than a wad of money anyway.

On the Net:

www.fitzgibbon.org/cancercenter.htm

Contact Zach Sims at

marshallbusiness@socket.net