From the Patch Archives: Philanthropist Living Up to Her Name

In November of 2011 we introduced you to Charity Joyner, then an ambitious Nashua 7 year old with a heart of gold, who was painting wooden rainbows and watermelons and selling them to raise money for charity. You can read that story below.

Charity's mom Lauren Joyner called the other day to let us know that Charity is back in business after a little hiatus, and will be selling her wares during the Hillsborough Balloon Fest this weekend.

"Charity is donating 85-90 percent of the proceeds to to particular charities this time, Orchids of Light Foundation LLC, and the Mill Falls Charter Montessori School in Manchester, her new school, for a playground," said Lauren Joyner.

Charity will be around to meet and greet customers at the fair on Thursday and Friday, but then she's off to camp, so her six siblings have offered to stand in for her at the Charity's Creations table, said her mom.

Her creations will be selling for $3-12.

Original story from November 2011: 

Charity Joyner is standing behind a table of her hand-painted wooden creations – mostly watermelon slices and rainbows  – during the recent citywide Art Walk. By far, she was the youngest emerging artist involved in the annual art awareness event.

But Charity wants her work to be recognized, not just for the sake of making a name for herself, but because she's doing something to make the world a better place for others, especially children, who aren't quite as fortunate as she has been, so far, in her young life.

At 7, she is already focused on philanthropy, having learned at a young age that everything is possible, as long as you apply yourself – and, in her case, a few joyful coats of colorful paint.

Charity had the urge to do something to change the world, so with a little help from her mom, Lauren Joyner, she considered what a kid with big ideas and a love of painting could do with what she had at hand – castoff chunks of wood from her father's tree-removal business.

Charity's Creations was born.

She was inspired by the dual-purpose shape of many of the chunks she saw, and wondered if she could turn tree debris into slices of watermelon. Conveniently, she realized those same chunks, turned upside-down and painted properly, doubled as rainbows.

Charity sells her creations to support her favorite local and international causes through donations and scholarship money, including: Heifer International (heifer.org); The Beautification of Nashua mural project; Peace and Social Justice Studies at Nashua Community College; and direct sponsorship of Marion Nangizu, an 8-year-old orphan living in Uganda.

Each slice of art is unique in shape and detail. Although the roughly-hewn wooden pieces are lightly sanded before painting to remove rough edges, Charity likes them to retain their ridges for that folk-art feel.

The majority of the pieces are designed as watermelons. Some pieces have natural nicks and holes which give the appearance of “a bite” out of the watermelon, says her mom. The rainbows appeal to Charity's sense of hope.

"She even had the idea to market the rainbows with hooks for things to hang 'Under the Rainbow,' said her mom.

The wedges can be used for anything from decoration, to napkin weights on the picnic table, to key holders. They range in price from $3 to $6.

Her mom is still working on a website to help Charity extend her charitable reach. In the meantime, they have a few more craft fairs lined up before the Christmas rush.

Mostly, Charity is hoping her whimsical wooden art will catch on so that she can keep on painting and creating – and changing the world, one slice of watermelon at a time.

For more information: Call 603-361-4933.