By By NIKKI COOPER / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Caring for raccoons awakened the spirit of giving in two Brandywine students.
On Thursday, Jessica Burnworth, 8, and her younger brother, Jimmy Burnworth, 6, spent their afternoon selling lemonade to raise money to the Heartland Animal Rescue.
The Burnworths are the children of Julie and Jim Burnworth of Cassopolis.
Last summer, friends of Deann Reith, the pair's grandmother, found three baby raccoons in their swimming pool. They asked Reith if she would like to care for them.
Reith and her grandchildren accepted the challenge. Jessica said she was scared but excited to care for the raccoons.
However, "I was scared of getting bitten," Jimmy admitted.
One racoon died, but the other two, "Bandit" and "Cooner" stayed the whole summer.
Erin Blight, a friend of Reith and a worker of Heartland Animal Rescue, came and gave the raccoons a distemper shot.
One night, the raccoons let themselves out of the cage and left.
Although, "Cooner" comes often to visit especially when he's hungry, they said.
The Burnworth children decided again this summer to have a lemonade stand and again donate the proceeds to Heartland Animal Rescue. The two set up a table and made their own signs. Their grandma made the lemonade with help from Jimmy.
They donated $13.00 last summer. This summer, they increased their take, donating $13.50. "Not many kids would give up money. They did it last year. I'm very proud of them," Reith said.