Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Non Profit of the Week: When Life Hands You Lemons


Simple nostalgic ideas can lead to big moves.

That's the idea behind Alex's Lemonade Stand. In 2000, four year old Alex Scott (from not too far away in suburban Philadelphia), was suffering from cancer. She decided there had to be a way to help her doctor's find a cure for her and all the other children by raising money. How does a four year old raise money without a business degree and a smashing resume? Sell lemonade of course. With her old brother Patrick, Alex started an annual lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research all the while suffering from the disease herself.

The lemonade stand idea has caught on, in a big way. Inspired by Alex's dedication, thousands of lemonade stands have set up shop across the country to benefit the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Alex passed away at age 8 in 2004, but her lemonade legacy is still gaining ground. As of July 2008, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised over $20 million for childhood cancer research. Talk about awareness! Anyone can hold a stand to support Alex's foundation and if you're around Dover on Thursday, you can have your lemonade and support the cause too. On Thursday, the State Street Assisted Living will be hosting an Alex's Lemonade Stand on State Street from 6:30p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Stop by, it'll quench your thirst and warm your heart.

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