News and Articles

Young Entrepreneur Earns Camera Via
Charity Fund-Raiser
By: Tom Schalata, Tri County Record

When Megan Ruoss was preparing for her summer vacation, she had one item left to pack in her suitcase, and that was a digital camera to capture all those “Kodak Moments” she had envisioned.

Her problem was she didn’t own a camera, and she was one “Ortho Buck” away from earning one.

Ruoss is a patient at the office of Parisi Orthodontics, 201 Darby Square, Elverson, and Dr. Parisi has a reward system for patients called the “Ortho Store.” Patients can earn Ortho Bucks by being on time for appointments, taking care of their teeth, getting good grades on report cards, etc.

In this unusual store you may find such items as light-up frogs, iPods, Nintendo’s, PSP’s and yes, digital cameras.

Patents can turn their Ortho Bucks in for smaller items, or save up for larger, more expensive ones. Even adult patients look forward to earning their Ortho Bucks.

She was one buck away from earning that digital camera she had her eye on, but the problem was, Ruoss had no appointments scheduled before her trip.

When she asked what she could do to earn that last buck, Dr. Parisi suggested that the 11-year old girl run some type of charity event while wearing a Parisi T-shirt.

While the office was expecting a small lemonade stand in front of her home, Ruoss took the idea one step further, and set-up a stand at the Wal-Mart Store, at Morgantown Crossings. She sold hot dogs, lemonade and chips for $2.00. The money she raised would go to the Animal Rescue League. Not only did her efforts earn her that coveted digital camera, but it also raised more than $200 for the local charity.