A True Inspiration
Not an average eighth grader
By Te’Andrea Flowers

A normal 13 year old would be listening to an ipod or watching television after school, but Claire Keaton is not an average eighth grader. After being touched by the heart-breaking story of a couple whose two of three children suffer with cystic fibrosis, she decided to open a “LemonAID” stand to raise money.

“She was so impressed with their family that she wanted to do something to help,” says Stacy Keaton, Claire’s mother.

Trica Poche’, from New Roads, LA, is a friend of Ms. Keaton. Claire’s family became acquainted with the Poche’s because their oldest son Jeffery is the same age as Claire’s youngest brother. They attended a CF walk together, and Claire learned more about the disease.

Ms. Keaton recalled Claire expressing to her, “How can you look at that precious Samantha Poche' and not do anything to help cure her disease.” From this point, she was determined to do what she could to raise money. She even did the unthinkable – cancelled her birthday party and called her friends to help her set up a lemonade sale to raise money.

“She also enlisted the help of some friends in Pollard Estates, River Bend and Ingleside Dr. to help hold lemonade sales in their neighborhoods,” says Stacey Keaton.

Within the first year, she and her friends raised approximately $2,000 with the lemonade and baked snacks at a going rate of 50 cents. But, the main source of profit was from extremely generous donations. The largest donation they received was $1,000.

“It was very rewarding for them and many people would stop to donate and tell a story about someone they knew who was affected by CF.” says Keaton. “One man in Oak Hills stopped to tell the girls that his friend was the oldest living person with CF, and she had just received a lung transplant.  They were so amazed by what they heard and how much money they raised that they all decided it should be an annual event.”

Claire decided to expand the sale to New Roads, where one of her good friends lives. Since the Poche’ family is from this town, there was an immediate response to help.

In 2008, she raised $4,000. Her current goal is to add more stands to neighborhoods and largely publicize her projects to raise more awareness and more money.