Some kids start up a lemonade stand to raise extra money. The three Bader brothers — Zane, Sage, and Ace, of Kurtistown — got into the greeting card business.
Some kids start up a lemonade stand to raise extra money. The three Bader brothers — Zane, Sage, and Ace, of Kurtistown — got into the greeting card business.
The trio has set up a booth at the Maku’u Farmers Market in Pahoa for the past three years, where they sell colorful handmade cards, make friends with the market regulars, and hone their salesmen skills. Late last month, the Baders made one more appearance at Maku’u before heading off to race BMX bikes in Oregon for the summer (they also have an Etsy shop for off-season sales).
The cards are made in low-tech fashion, by using a kids’ spin art machine that splatters colorful paint across the white backdrop.
“I bet we have one that matches your shirt,” Zane, 11, said to a passerby wearing vivid green.
All of the money the Baders raise from their card sales goes to support their BMX racing — there are no BMX courses on the Big Island, so the boys get as much time as they can in during the summer when they visit their grandparents. Their mother, Heather Bader, said they’ve have earned more than $1,000 each summer since they started the fundraising project.
The money covers entry fees for local and state races, which range from $8 to $30. Last year, Zane, 11, earned first place in his age division in the Oregon state championship race. Sage, 8, won more than 28 races to advance to the Expert class. Ace competed in a national race in Washington, but had a wipeout.
Zane started racing at age 6, while the family was living in Honolulu: Oahu’s BMX track, the Sandbox, draws racers of all ages. His younger brothers picked up BMX when they were four, riding pint-sized mini bikes.
“You get to meet a lot of friends and stay in shape,” Sage said.
Five years ago, the Baders moved to the Big Island, and the boys had to make more of an effort to continue with the sport they loved.
“We homeschool, so we sat down and made a budget, and scheduled in all of the races,” Heather Bader said. “So we have three boys racing three times a week for three months.”
Though they visit tracks around the state, the Baders’ home track is in Emerald City Race Track, near their grandparents’ home outside Eugene. Their bikes wait for them there, “hanging in the barn,” Sage explained.
Farmers market days are long, beginning at 6 a.m., but they aren’t without their successes.
One woman walked by and picked up three cards before wishing the trio good luck. The Baders thanked her in near-unison. In a few more hours, they would be on their plane.
Visit the Bader Boys’ site at https://www.etsy.com/people/baderboys?ref=owner_profile_leftnav.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.