ABRAM AND AURELIA Gingrass of Iron Mountain offered refreshments to people who donated or dropped off items at Edwards Automotive during the Switching Gears for Good campaign. Abram selected the LCpl. Eric A. Palmisano Care Package Project to benefit from the campaign. Last year, “Lemon Abe” manned lemonade stands all summer to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

IRON MOUNTAIN — Iron Mountain sixth-grader Abram Gingrass and his family are continuing to pay it forward this summer.

They recently volunteered to help Edwards Automotive in Iron Mountain with its Switching Gears for Good campaign.

Abram decided he wanted to help out the LCpl. Eric A. Palmisano Care Package Project, which ships a variety of items to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Abram said he loves history and knows how important the military is and has been to maintain freedom for Americans.

“I wanted to do something for those that sacrifice so much for all of us,” he said.

During the Switching Gears for Good event July 12, they raised more than $850 and collected enough items for an estimated 50 care packages for the troops overseas.

The project has sent more than 5,000 care packages since May 2006, and LCpl. Eric Palmisano’s mother, Bobbie Samme, thanked Abram and his family and Edwards Automotive for organizing and hosting the event.

“I am proud and grateful to live in this amazing community,” Samme said.

A packaging event will be set soon. Anyone interested in donating or participating can contact Samme at bobbie@palmisanocarepackageproject.org or 906-396-4900.

Abram’s pay-it-forward efforts became well-known in the community last year, as he sold lemonade to help raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. His mom, Kelly Gingrass, said he did this in honor of his five-year cancer-free visit.

Abram was diagnosed with a pediatric form of kidney cancer in 2011, and was granted a “Star Wars” weekend at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Wanting to give something back, he set up lemonade stands and other fundraisers that generated more than $10,000 for Make-A-Wish, becoming known as “Lemon Abe” in the process.

It helped provide a Kingsford boy — and former classmate of Abram’s — who deals with frequent seizures from Dravet syndrome with a backyard pool.

Last year’s effort also led Edwards Automotive to connect with Abram.

Edwards donated to the cause and also allowed Abram and others to ride in their vehicle when he appeared in the 2016 Fourth of July parade to promote his mission.

“Our family didn’t have time for a large project this year, but we knew of Edwards’ Gear for Change cause and we volunteered to help with it. Edwards contacted us with the idea of letting Abram choose the organization that would be the next recipient of their program,” Kelly Gingrass said.

According to Wade Edwards, president of Edwards Automotive, they wanted to pull Abram into the campaign this year after seeing the work he did for Make-A-Wish.

“His selection of the LCpl. Eric A. Palmisano Care Package Project was a great fit for our campaign,” Edwards said.

Abram said everyone who stopped in during the campaign were “glad to participate and be a part of recognizing our amazing troops.”

During the campaign at Edwards Automotive, “Lemon Abe” continued to share his signature glass of lemonade and a cookie treat with the people who dropped in to donate and visit. His sister, Aurelia, also helped in the effort.

“Our entire family would love to keep helping with fundraising endeavors within our community … The community wrapped their arms around us when Abram had his battle with cancer, and we feel it is the very least that we can do,” Kelly Gingrass said.

“The kids loved knowing they were doing something special for people that were doing amazing things for them,” she said. “They had so much fun shopping for the items and are looking forward to helping pack the actual boxes when the time comes.”