Emmet’s efforts

By Gracie Hart
Review Staff Writer
Published: September 4, 2008

Fifth-grader Emmet Aylor has a heart larger than most.  For the third consecutive year, Aylor, with the help of his grandmother, baked pound cakes and other goodies and sold them at the Somerset Steam and Gas Pasture Party.  But Aylor is not trying to fund a new toy, or game for himself; he is trying to help the homeless.
“I heard that Sheltering Arms is losing money and they won’t be able to pay their bills,” said Aylor, a student at Gordon-Barbour Elementary School.  “The homeless people will be out, so when I heard that story, I was really touched.”
Aylor then spoke to his grandmother about what he had heard and the plan was formed to donate the money to the shelter.  Last year, the money went to Toys for Tots.
Aylor initially came up with the idea to sell pound cakes with the help of his grandmother.
“My grandma has a recipe and I call it the sleepover cake; I love it,” said Aylor.  “It started when I told her I wanted to do something at the show and she said, ‘how about you sell pound cake.’ “
Aylor’s grandmother is Trudy Roberts, the wife of Bill Roberts, the father of the Somerset Steam and Gas Show.  The show is held at Fairfield Dairy farm, which the Roberts own.
“Emmet is a special little boy [who] likes to do things for people,” said Trudy Roberts.  “We have always been close and he loves cooking so we decided to bake the cakes.  They sell very nicely.”
Since 2006, Aylor and his grandmother have been baking the cakes and selling them.  Wednesday before the show, they had already started baking the cakes.
“Right now, we have made eight [cakes] but we’ll hopefully make more,” said Aylor.  “My grandma’s sister makes snickerdoodle cookies so we’ll sell those too.”
According to Roberts, they slice the cakes and freeze them so they’ll be ready for the show.  The cakes are then sold by the slice for $1.
When asked how much money Aylor has made in the past, he is quick with the numbers.
“We made $201.10 last year and $126 the year before that,” he said.  “Hopefully this year I can get $50 more than what I had last year.”
Aylor has already received a $100 donation from his grandmother and a $50 donation from a teacher at his school, both of which will be added to the total amount he makes from selling the baked goods and then given to Sheltering Arms.
“To think, a child that age would want to give every cent to a group, that’s exceptional,” said Gordon-Barbour Elementary school guidance counselor Kathy Leake.  “Emmet always thinks of ways to help people.”
Fellow guidance counselor Karen McKean agrees.
“Emmet is a kind and giving child who is always thinking of other people,” she said.
When not preparing for his sales at the show, Aylor is a member of the Chorus, SCA and works as a library helper at Gordon-Barbour Elementary school.  Last year, he helped organize a canned food drive and is very interested in writing.
According to Roberts, the pair will probably continue selling their goods at next year’s show.
“We probably will [do it again,]” said Roberts.  “I don’t see us getting out of it so long as he enjoys it.”
Aylor is going to use how he did this year as a gauge for if he will continue again next year.
“I think I’m going to see how successful we are this year and if we are successful I’ll talk to my grandma and see if we can do it again,” he said.  “I really like to get out there and help the community.”