For eight-year-old Evi Santokie, having a lemonade stand on the roadside and raising funds for an animal shelter is a dream come true.
On May 11, the standard two student of Reform Presbyterian Primary School organised a roadside sale at the Naparima Mayaro Road in Cocoyea under the supervision of her mother, Vida Santokie, and other relatives.
[caption id="attachment_1084255" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Evi Santokie, eight, of Williamsville tends to a customer at her lemonade stand along the Naparima Mayaro road, Cocoyea. She said the money from her sales will go help an animal shelter. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Evi, from Williamsville, told Newsday Kids it was the first time she had a drink stand for a cause.
She said all the proceeds would go towards Venus Doggess of Love, a Tobago-based NGO that deals with animal rescue/welfare. Its motto is Love changes lives.
[caption id="attachment_1084254" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Eight-year-old Evi Santokie opened a lemonade stand and donates the proceeds to the Venus Doggess of Love, an NGO in Tobago. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Evi and her mother are followers of the NGO’s social media pages.
“I wanted to do a lemonade stand for a while now. I recently sent this letter to Venus Doggess of Love saying I wanted to have this and donate all the money because the group takes care of animals without a home,” Evi said while showing copies of the hand-written letter.
[caption id="attachment_1084258" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Evi Santokie, eight, with her mother Vida at her lemonade stand in Cocoyea. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
She said her heart melts whenever she sees a stray dog without a home.
The young animal lover read part of the letter she sent to the NGO, which she has yet to visit.
“Also, I feel bad knowing animals that have owners abuse them or ignore them. Thank you, Venus Doggess of Love, for helping those animals. (It) would be thrilling if someone could give Toffee a forever home,” she read.
Toffee is a stray dog that the shelter rescued. Evi was unsure of the circumstances but wanted to do something for the animal.
[caption id="attachment_1084257" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Eight-year-old Evi Santokie attends to one of her customers. - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
“Toffee does not have a home as yet. I have never met Toffee, but I love dogs and all types of animals. I do not know how much money I would make but whatever it is, it would be fine,” Evi said as her face lit up with excitement.
“My mommy encourages me, but she does not need to because I have all the courage I need. I helped make the juices.”
A post on the NGO’s Facebook page on November 13, 2023 said Toffee, a neutered male, was born on January 9, 2022.
The gentle, attentive dog has a deep bark but is shy at first, and needs a patient, loving human who can spend quality time with him to help him gain confidence. The post also said many of its Tobago rescues are adopted to Trinidad or homes abroad.
While Newsday K
