By Cassandra Spratling, Detroit Free Press –
DETROIT — In one day, 9-year-old Joshua Smith of Detroit became something of a news media and civic darling.
Joshua has set up a lemonade stand and is selling snacks and drinks to help his city recover from a cash crisis.
Since his story appeared Tuesday in the Free Press and circulated on social media, donations, calls and e-mails of support have come from many parts of Michigan, other states like Tennessee, Oregon and Alabama, and even Britain.
TV and radio reporters wanted to talk with Joshua. And Detroit Mayor Dave Bing called to express his appreciation.
“Hello, Sir. How are you?” Joshua said, after learning the mayor was on the phone.
“I want you to know we appreciate your efforts,” the mayor said. “I hope other young people use you as an example.”
Instead of donating his lemonade money to the city, the mayor suggested Joshua put the money toward his college fund so he can go to college and use his entrepreneurial skills to help Detroit.
After the call, Joshua said he would think about the suggestion because “he’s the king of the city, so shouldn’t I? “
But his parents, Flynn and Rhonda Smith, confirmed that Joshua will stick to his plan.
“It would be disingenuous of us to have people come by to make donations under one premise and then turn around and use the money for our own gain,” Flynn Smith said.
Besides, said Rhonda Smith: “We already have a college fund for Joshua.”
On Tuesday, customers had started arriving at the lemonade stand an hour before the sale was to officially begin at 5 p.m.
Joshua had made a $228 profit toward his $1,000 goal, and one caller, who didn’t want to be identified, said that if he falls short of his goal by Friday (the end of the sale), she would make up the difference.
While preparing for Tuesday’s sale, Joshua got ready for several interviews from TV and radio reporters.
“I’ve never been on TV before and I’ve never been on the radio before,” Joshua said. “My heart is beating a little fast.”
Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh said Tuesday that he plans to visit Joshua’s stand and buy some items from him on Wednesday.
“I plan to encourage him and thank him for coming to the city’s rescue,” Pugh said. “I think this young man is showing that we all have a stake in this.
“This is what I say all the time when people ask, ‘What are you doing to help the city?’ I say, ‘What are you doing?’”
