When life gives you lemons, give back to the poor

By Patrick Morrow

Dec 8, 2022

**Lemonade to help the needy:** Year 2 student Arya Banning selling her homemade lemonade with mother Arunabha Banning and fellow Year 2 student Fatima Fahad on Monday at St Mel’s Primary School. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

St Mel’s Primary School Year 2 student Arya Banning has made good use of her backyard lemon tree to raise funds for the poor.

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She made made lemonade for her fellow students on Monday for the St Vincent's De Paul Pride Relief Program.

The program helps people who are in need of supplies and food.

Arya came up with the idea for the lemonade stand with the help of her mother Arunabha Banning and the Shepparton school’s principal, Chris Summers.

**Thirsty work:** Year 2 student Arya Banning sells lemonade to teacher Elisabeth Rodriguez during the school lunch break, with hopes of raising $200. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Mr Summers said he encouraged all students to understand the importance of giving back to their community.

“She came up with the idea and this is what we try to encourage ... from an early age we teach them there’s a lot of people doing it harder then we are,” Mr Summers said.

Mr Summers said Arya’s effort would be added to the school’s donations to the Pride Relief Program, and said a lot of people were relying on these funds to get them through tough times.

Arya’s hard work included hand-squeezing more than 300 lemons.

**Giving back:** Year 2 student Arya Banning hand-squeezed more than 300 lemons to make her lemonade. Picture: Supplied

Arya said she would harvest the lemons from her backyard lemon tree, cut them up and juice them in her electric juicer, and combine sugar syrup and lemon juice to make lemonade.

She said she was hoping to raise $200.

Mrs Banning said she was really proud of her daughter taking the initiative to help others.

“It’s wonderful and great to see her take charge and get organised and achieve something that’s going to provide some positivity to the community,” Mrs Banning said.