Raleigh Kids Help Raise Funds For Dix306

A wide majority of North Carolina citizens, and many friends outside the state, support making the soon-to-be vacated Dorothea Dix property in Raleigh a distinguished destination park—a place that enhances our revitalizing city. Many actively show their support—by displaying yard signs, donating money or time, signing our petition, speaking to citizen groups, building and maintaining our web site, or actively volunteering to help spread the word among friends and neighbors. Many of these folks give their time while either working full-time to raise families or pursue careers.

A fundamental principle of Dix 306 is to leave a legacy that our children, their children and on, can celebrate long past our own time. It is, therefore, only fitting that, with the help and encouragement of their parents and beloved babysitter, some local Raleigh kids decided to take the initiative to support Dix 306. Sydney Baldwin, Harris Green, Amelia Pearce, Sophia & Rachel Stafford, Alyssa Futch, along with Porter Baldwin & faithful beagle Cooper, and the irrepressible Stanley Pearce (a.k.a. “Ace”), set up a “Lemon-Aid for Dix 306” stand in their north Raleigh neighborhood, replete with cups, pink and yellow lemonade, a Dix 306 yard sign, and, most important, handouts describing the mission and goals of Dix 306.

These girls then proceeded to enthusiastically jump and shout and cheer in order to flag down cars and pedestrians—“Ace” working from his stroller while Porter and faithful beagle Cooper guarded the goods. And if some of those who stopped happened to not have any money on them…well, that was OK—they got lemonade anyway, plus a handout and joyful encouragement to support Dix 306! The results: A whopping $58 collected over just a few days time! “The Dix 306 Chicks,” as they dubbed themselves, and “support staff,” (“Ace,” Porter, and devoted beagle Cooper) put off playtime and worked hard in the hot sun for a cause they, and most of their fellow citizens, believe in. It goes to show that you are never too young (and we hope never too old) to have a dream, mix in some creativity and take action to make that dream become a reality. And we all hope—especially for our kids (and future generations)—that they will be successful in shaping their future environment.