Madison Root of Lake Oswego spent much of the day last Friday cutting and bagging mistletoe at her uncle’s Newberg farm.

On Saturday, the 11-year-old plopped down a box near the Skidmore Fountain at Portland Saturday Market with dozens of beribbonned bags inside. In less than a half-hour, she'd sold seven of them at $4 a pop.

"She had an idea to make some money to help pay for her braces,’’ said her father, Ashton Root. Actually, the idea came from her dad, who did the same thing when he was a kid to make extra cash for Christmas presents.

But the sixth-grader's home-grown business was short-lived.

A private security guard for the market told Madison and her dad that they were violating city code (specifically Chapter 20.12.020 , “Soliciting For or Conducting Business” in a public park). Under the rule, it's illegal to “sell or offer to sell any article or service” without a permit.

Portland Saturday Market's office is closed Mondays, so officials weren't available for comment.

Ashton Root said the guard told them that his daughter could beg for money, but she couldn't sell the mistletoe or even give it away and ask for a donation.

"We totally understand the rule,” Root said. “But here she was selling mistletoe and all around her were people playing music for money, or asking for money for pot, or just spare change. We’re allowing people to beg, but not to sell; it seems like there should be some sort of exception.”

Once the story got out, a man called and bought 30 bags of mistletoe, Root said. Then Ken Cook, owner of McKenzie Farms, called Monday and donated $1,000 to Madison Root’s braces fund.

Cook saw the story and wanted to help out “the little entrepreneur,” said Debbie Tedrow, office manager for the Estacada-based Christmas tree farm.

And so what started as a way to make money to straighten her teeth became a way to address a bigger issue.

“I feel that I can make a statement and possibly make a difference,” Madison Root said. “The city laws are supporting begging and are against working.”

Thanks to her mistletoe sales and the large donation, she went to the orthodontist Monday and got her top row of braces, she said.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m. she plans to return to Skidmore Fountain for what she’s calling “The Great Kissoff.” There should be plenty of mistletoe with her and she plans to give a speech outlining her plans for making a difference.

“She may break the law, or just give it away,’’ her dad said. “Donations accepted.”

His daughter has always been a go-getter, he said: “We had many lemonade stands.”

--Stuart Tomlinson

News researcher Lynne Palombo contributed to this report.