JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- She's a little girl with a big heart, and with big ideas.
While most 9-year-olds are out playing in the hot summer sun, Kira Cook is raising money for animals flooded out by Tropical Storm Debby. She wanted to help get Middleburg's Safe Animal Shelter back on their feet after they were flooded in the storm, and she managed to help, one lemon at a time.
"It was unique for a child to donate money to a shelter and some people just keep it to themselves for their children," said Cook, "But I don't want to do that I just want to give it away to the animals."
Selling at 50 cents a glass, Kira's home-made lemonade raised nearly $200 for her local animal shelter in just one day.
"We had to refill it after a few minutes," she said. "Some people came twice because they liked it so much!"
When neighbors heard what this little philanthropist was up to, the support poured in. A local dog trainer matched Kira's earnings, and the donations keep on coming.
"It's over 300 dollars with just these two amounts and not including the ones that are still coming in," said Kira's mother Tricia.
It's enough to make any mother proud.
"She's very affectionate and always wanting to help," said Tricia. "I don't know where that comes from but she's very very caring."
