A Franklin County Middle School student started his own store and donated proceeds to the Rainbow Pantry in Royston
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Hunter Blackmon (right), 11, a sixth grader at Franklin County Middle School, recently donated $120 to the Rainbow Pantry in Royston from money he made operating a store near Victoria Bryant State Park. The Rainbow Pantry’s Donnie Bolemon accepted the donation.
ROYSTON – Eleven-year-old Hunter Blackmon was hard at work when his father got to their home in Canon.
“I just came home one day and he was building a raggedy shed,” Josh Blackmon said of his son’s project. “[He said,] ‘I want to raise money for the homeless.”
Hunter, a sixth grader at Franklin County Middle School, was building a store – Blackmon’s Snack Shack – where he sold snacks and drinks.
He turned $120 in profits into a donation to Royston’s Rainbow Pantry.
“This young man has a heart to serve and passion to help those in need,” Donnie Bolemon of the Rainbow Pantry wrote in a Facebook post.
Josh said his son’s inspiration came from Grace Baptist Church in Royston, which has had a big impact on Hunter.
Hunter’s store benefited from donations from family and the community, including wood from Ace Hardware to help build the structure.
“Everybody kind of pitched in to help him,” Josh said.
Hunter bought supplies from Dollar General and Sam’s Club before setting his store up near the intersection of Highways 51 and 327 at the former Moon Grocery Store.
Originally, Hunter planned to take his proceeds and purchase items for homeless people in Athens.
But after meeting and talking with Bolemon about the Rainbow Pantry, he decided to give his profits to the Royston charity.
Rainbow Pantry provides free food, clothes, household goods and other necessities to those in the community who may not have the money to provide the items for themselves or their families.
Hunter plans to continue working with Bolemon at the Pantry, Josh said.
Blackmon’s Snack Shack will be back up and running when the weather gets a little warmer, Josh said.
Currently, Hunter said he’s “in retirement until it warms up.”
Josh said that all the glory for his son’s effort should go to God.