Local kids raise funds for fallen Baton Rouge officers

Baton Rouge, Louisiana lies over 900 miles from Phillipsburg, Ohio but that isn’t stopping a group of kids in the small Ohio town from helping the families of police officers killed in Louisiana earlier this week.

Dylan Joshua, along with other kids from Phillipsburg, is selling lemonade, cookies and snacks to help raise money for the fallen officers in Sunday’s shooting.

“We like helping others and just raising money to help people in need,” Joshua said.

“We originally had another idea, but with the recent events that happened we thought we would change because we thought they [the officers] could use it more than others,” Joshua added.

Joshua’s grandmother, Teri Ullery says this isn’t the first time the kids have taken to selling treats to benefit of others.

Ullery explains the young group started a similar project two years ago to raise funds for the Wounded Warriors Project, a non-profit that offers services and programs for wounded veterans. She says the idea was all their own.

“They are very conscientious about their community and they enjoy giving back,” Ullery said, adding, “It’s teaching them to give back and learn the importance of community.”

The price of lemonade is set at 50 cents, but Joshua says people like Sharon McDonley have donated expecting nothing in return.

McDonely, who lives in Phillipsburg, has several family members employed at area law enforcement agencies. She is challenging other Phillipsburg residents to help the kids meet their fund-raising goal.

“I got to thinking all these police officer’s are getting killed and they’re trying to protect us. They don’t deserve this and neither do their families, so I just stopped to help and give whatever bit I could.” McDonaly said.

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