Other1 min read

Boy, 7, sells lemonade for school shoes; officer surprises him with Adidas

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Seven-year-old Landen set up a stand outside his home to sell lemonade and cookies for $1 to afford a new pair of blue shoes. Officer Joel Perez learned the boy's shoe size during a visit to the stand and returned hours later with a brand-new box of Adidas sneakers. Photographs posted online by the child's grandmother drew positive public attention to the department. Police Chief Wayne Williams later commended the officer's actions as an exemplary display of community-oriented policing.

Key points

  • Police Chief Wayne Williams praised the gesture as an ideal example of positive community…: Police Chief Wayne Williams praised the gesture as an ideal example of positive community-oriented policing.
  • Officer Joel Perez joined the Ansonia department in March 2022 after previously working a…: Officer Joel Perez joined the Ansonia department in March 2022 after previously working as a military police officer.
  • The interaction demonstrated how local law enforcement officers can build strong relation…: The interaction demonstrated how local law enforcement officers can build strong relationships with residents beyond standard duties.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A 7-year-old boy in Ansonia, Connecticut, came up with a simple way to earn money for something he wanted for school: a new pair of sneakers. Landen set up a small stand outside his home, selling lemonade and cookies for $1 as he tried to save enough to buy the shoes himself. But his little business caught the attention of a local police officer, Joel Perez, who stopped by and learnt what the young boy was saving for. Rather than simply wishing him luck, Perez decided to do something about it. He left the stand and returned a few hours later with a pair of new Adidas sneakers, leaving Landen surprised and delighted.

Boy sells lemonade and cookies to buy new school shoes

Landen's grandmother, Wendelyn Narvaez, shared photographs of the boy's small business on social media. One picture showed him standing behind his backyard lemonade stand, holding a handwritten sign advertising "$1 lemonade/cookies".

The young boy was not simply selling refreshments for fun. He wanted to earn enough money to buy a new pair of blue sneakers for school.…

Other