Student Senate is adopting a new fundraiser this year called ‘Alex’s Lemonade Stand.’ They will be selling lemonade to HR students year round to support the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.  The stand will open early November.

  The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) began with Alex Scott, who was diagnosed with cancer before her 1st birthday. When Alex was just 4 years old, she and her brother opened a lemonade stand to raise money for kids just like her. Within the first year of its grand opening, they raised $2,000.

  After Alex died 4 years later, her family honored her vision by starting the foundation. Since then, they have raised over $100 million which went towards cancer research, support programs for young patients and their families, and resources for those who are affected by childhood cancer.

  According to the foundation’s website, one in 330 children will be diagnosed with cancer by the time they turn 20. But, less than 5% of the federal government’s total funding for cancer research is dedicated to childhood cancers each year. To bring the world closer to a cure, the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation stays true to their motto and continues “fighting childhood cancer, one cup at a time.”

  “We are opening Alex’s Lemonade Stand to spread childhood cancer awareness around the school,” said Meredith Harrison, junior and chairperson for the event. Harrison and the rest of the program are hoping that the story behind the foundation will encourage every student to support it. “The simplicity of a child’s idea to help others is one that resonates with many students,” said Rashaan Davis, the Senate advisor, “and I think we can use that to help share stories of those affected by cancer.”

  Alex’s Lemonade Stand will be taking the place of the Pennies for Patients fundraiser which was a tradition at HR. “While ‘Pennies for Patients’ is a worthy cause, we were struggling to find the buy-in we needed across our campus to keep raising the amount of money that we had raised in previous years,” said Davis.

  Senate understood the need for a cancer-related illness fundraiser to spread awareness and unite the HR community. “We know from last year’s ‘Pink Out’ that most of our students have been affected by cancer or know someone who has,” said Davis, “and that gives us hope that people will be compassionate and giving as we attempt to go in a new direction.”

  Harrison explained the logistics for the stand. “Our main goals are to spread awareness throughout the school and to raise at least $2,000 for the foundation by the end of the school year,” she said. Lemonade will be sold for $1 a cup at the window by the commons and main office, every Tuesday and Thursday during 3rd period.

  Student Senate and ALSF are proving that when life hands you lemons, you fight to end childhood cancer.  

For more information about ALSF, visit alexslemonade.org

Megan de Guzman, Guest Reporter