When Cooper Wellweber ruined his shoes by filling them with slime, he was going to raise money for new shoes with a lemonade stand. But when the 5-year-old heard that local volunteer firefighter Arlydia Bufford was in need, he changed his mind about keeping his profits. Arlydia was shot in June while dining at an Applebee’s with her firefighter colleagues. A volunteer with the department, Arlydia was training to become an EMT, but worked full-time as a waitress and had no health insurance. So Cooper stepped up, raising more than $3000 for Arlydia’s recovery costs.
The Kinloch Fire Protection District thanked Cooper by making him an honorary firefighter, but just as exciting was the response to his lemonade stand. "Skateboarders stopped by!" he told CNN. "Firetrucks and the ambulance!"