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Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA)
June 15, 2012 Friday
9-year-old Megan has lemons, sells lemonade to benefit David and Margaret Home
by Imani Tate, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Fretting over the fact all girls don't know the loving stability of
supportive parents or enjoy a charmed life like she does, Megan
Hakopian of La Verne spent a few sleepness nights before she came up
with a charitable remedy.
Megan, the daughter of Treza and Andy Hakopian, figured one child can
make a difference and positively affect the lives of troubled,
neglected and abused girls residing at David and Margaret Home in La
Verne.
So she sells lemonade to raise money to buy the little extras many
girls living in the safe cocoon of family sometimes take for granted.
When the weather warmed in mid-May, she decided not to wait until the
summer heat started. She set up the lemonade stand her grandfather
Johnny Oghoorian made for her and sold frosty glasses of lemonade to
raise money so she could give gift cards to David and Margaret girls'
graduating from the on-campus Joan Macy School and being released from
residential care.
Motorists and Inland Valley residents will find Megan on Base Line
Road in La Verne, between Emerald and Esperanza, selling lemonade
throughout the summer to pay for gifts and necessities for the David
and Margaret girls and to make other charitable donations.
Megan will be 10 on July 8 and is an honor student progressing to
fifth grade at Oak Mesa Elementary School for the 2012-13 academic
year.
Her parents co-own Netsmart Systems, a computer and telecommunications
technology company. Treza, a Cal Poly Pomona graduate, has lived in La
Verne for 25 years. Andy joined her in the community they call "a
hidden gem" when they married 20 years ago.
Megan was born in Armenia when her parents attended the country's
celebration of 1,700 years of Christianity in 2002. She has lived in
La Verne since infancy.
Megan discovered the plight of girls at David and Margaret when she
accompanied her father who was doing computer work at the residential
placement, educational and counseling center in the spring of 2010.
"I couldn't sleep, thinking about the girls there in the dorms," Megan
recalled. "There are girls there who need school supplies and personal
things. I wanted to do something to give them a little extra."
When she mentioned she needed a stand to draw attention to her sales
efforts, her grandfather built a custom-made stand from plywood. She
suggested the stand name - Lemon-Aid - to signify assistance to
others.
She raised $138 during her first summer of sales in 2010 and another
$172 last year. She hopes the weather will stay tropical and allow her
to raise more money this summer.
Megan's manners - polite, friendly and courteous - prompted several
local residents, including University of La Verne professor Randy
Miller, to spread the word about her lemonade sales.
"One lady bought a cup of lemonade, then sat in her car watching Megan
with other customers. She then came back and said `I'm so proud of
what you're doing. I want to give you more.' And she gave her a
check," Treza said, smiling proudly.
Andy said at times it looks like a "lemonade drive-thru" with people
lining up to buy the frosty refreshment Megan makes more distinctive
by adding mint from the family garden and orange slices.
Charity is nothing new for the young girl whose parents wholeheartedly
believe in charitable causes.
"My mom taught me when I get my allowance, I should give part of it to
charity," Megan said.
"She and my dad do things for different charities and they don't want
me to be selfish. They've taught me to help others who are less
fortunate and to have a kind heart. My parents provide food, shelter
and everything I need. They support me and love me. But some of the
girls at David and Margaret either don't have parents or don't have
supportive, loving parents.
"Since I do, I should do something for girls who don't," she added.
As an Oak Mesa student, she takes part in the school's canned food
drives for needy families, donates blankets for the teachers' Blankets
for Love project and collects donations for gift shipments to American
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She donates canned and nonperishable food to the Girl Scout Troop
3144's programs for homeless and poor families and recently
participated in the troop's friendship circle during its Mall Madness
campout at the Montclair Plaza.
Megan and her parents take toys and gift cards to patients at
Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. She, her grandparents and parents
also donate boxes of reading and coloring books, puzzles, Crayons,
T-shirts, small play items and personal hygiene toiletries to children
served by Steven's Hope. Andy and Treza volunteer for pet expositions,
the L.A. Mission, VoluEars and Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday
programs for needy and homeless families.
The family searches theVolunteerMatch.com website to find charitable
projects they can do together and which accept children's volunteer
help.
"It's important to teach your children it's good to share what you
have," Treza said. "Children should know the value of sharing your
blessings and being a blessing for someone else."
Andy agreed and added, "By passing on that philosophy of life, you're
increasing the number of people doing good in the world. One person,
one act of kindness at a time can transform lives. The more we do, the
better the world is for everyone.
"God has blessed us, so we help others as much as we can," he
continued. "Whether it's paid forward or pay as you go, you should
really be thankful for what you have and give a little bit of that to
those with less."
June 15, 2012 Friday
9-year-old Megan has lemons, sells lemonade to benefit David and Margaret Home
by Imani Tate, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Fretting over the fact all girls don't know the loving stability of
supportive parents or enjoy a charmed life like she does, Megan
Hakopian of La Verne spent a few sleepness nights before she came up
with a charitable remedy.
Megan, the daughter of Treza and Andy Hakopian, figured one child can
make a difference and positively affect the lives of troubled,
neglected and abused girls residing at David and Margaret Home in La
Verne.
So she sells lemonade to raise money to buy the little extras many
girls living in the safe cocoon of family sometimes take for granted.
When the weather warmed in mid-May, she decided not to wait until the
summer heat started. She set up the lemonade stand her grandfather
Johnny Oghoorian made for her and sold frosty glasses of lemonade to
raise money so she could give gift cards to David and Margaret girls'
graduating from the on-campus Joan Macy School and being released from
residential care.
Motorists and Inland Valley residents will find Megan on Base Line
Road in La Verne, between Emerald and Esperanza, selling lemonade
throughout the summer to pay for gifts and necessities for the David
and Margaret girls and to make other charitable donations.
Megan will be 10 on July 8 and is an honor student progressing to
fifth grade at Oak Mesa Elementary School for the 2012-13 academic
year.
Her parents co-own Netsmart Systems, a computer and telecommunications
technology company. Treza, a Cal Poly Pomona graduate, has lived in La
Verne for 25 years. Andy joined her in the community they call "a
hidden gem" when they married 20 years ago.
Megan was born in Armenia when her parents attended the country's
celebration of 1,700 years of Christianity in 2002. She has lived in
La Verne since infancy.
Megan discovered the plight of girls at David and Margaret when she
accompanied her father who was doing computer work at the residential
placement, educational and counseling center in the spring of 2010.
"I couldn't sleep, thinking about the girls there in the dorms," Megan
recalled. "There are girls there who need school supplies and personal
things. I wanted to do something to give them a little extra."
When she mentioned she needed a stand to draw attention to her sales
efforts, her grandfather built a custom-made stand from plywood. She
suggested the stand name - Lemon-Aid - to signify assistance to
others.
She raised $138 during her first summer of sales in 2010 and another
$172 last year. She hopes the weather will stay tropical and allow her
to raise more money this summer.
Megan's manners - polite, friendly and courteous - prompted several
local residents, including University of La Verne professor Randy
Miller, to spread the word about her lemonade sales.
"One lady bought a cup of lemonade, then sat in her car watching Megan
with other customers. She then came back and said `I'm so proud of
what you're doing. I want to give you more.' And she gave her a
check," Treza said, smiling proudly.
Andy said at times it looks like a "lemonade drive-thru" with people
lining up to buy the frosty refreshment Megan makes more distinctive
by adding mint from the family garden and orange slices.
Charity is nothing new for the young girl whose parents wholeheartedly
believe in charitable causes.
"My mom taught me when I get my allowance, I should give part of it to
charity," Megan said.
"She and my dad do things for different charities and they don't want
me to be selfish. They've taught me to help others who are less
fortunate and to have a kind heart. My parents provide food, shelter
and everything I need. They support me and love me. But some of the
girls at David and Margaret either don't have parents or don't have
supportive, loving parents.
"Since I do, I should do something for girls who don't," she added.
As an Oak Mesa student, she takes part in the school's canned food
drives for needy families, donates blankets for the teachers' Blankets
for Love project and collects donations for gift shipments to American
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She donates canned and nonperishable food to the Girl Scout Troop
3144's programs for homeless and poor families and recently
participated in the troop's friendship circle during its Mall Madness
campout at the Montclair Plaza.
Megan and her parents take toys and gift cards to patients at
Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. She, her grandparents and parents
also donate boxes of reading and coloring books, puzzles, Crayons,
T-shirts, small play items and personal hygiene toiletries to children
served by Steven's Hope. Andy and Treza volunteer for pet expositions,
the L.A. Mission, VoluEars and Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday
programs for needy and homeless families.
The family searches theVolunteerMatch.com website to find charitable
projects they can do together and which accept children's volunteer
help.
"It's important to teach your children it's good to share what you
have," Treza said. "Children should know the value of sharing your
blessings and being a blessing for someone else."
Andy agreed and added, "By passing on that philosophy of life, you're
increasing the number of people doing good in the world. One person,
one act of kindness at a time can transform lives. The more we do, the
better the world is for everyone.
"God has blessed us, so we help others as much as we can," he
continued. "Whether it's paid forward or pay as you go, you should
really be thankful for what you have and give a little bit of that to
those with less."