When Life Gives You Lemons...

UPDATE: margaret and her family raised about $500 last weekend – she notes, "It was a fun day (though it is always a little bittersweet that Alex is not here, as the lemonade day was always her big day)..." – alex's original stand raised $125,000… so the cause is still going strong. it's our turn now to pledge & hope you do the same.

we hope you will join us in a national lemonade toast this weekend while you enjoy the warm weather and sunny skies in honor of our friend margaret's niece, Alexandra Scott, who started her own lemonade stand 7 years ago in her front yard for cancer research, sparking a national movement and showing us the real meaning of courage and strength.

alex suffered from neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, and in the spring of 2000, after a long winter with many nights spent in the hospital, she decided to have a lemonade stand to benefit her hospital. that first stand generated some local press coverage and was a surprising success, raising a few thousand dollars for the hospital. she continued to have lemonade stands each spring and they continued to grow bigger and bigger. when she passed away in august of 2004 at the age of eight, she had raised nearly $1 million for cancer research, primarily from individual donations and other kids and families holding lemonade stands. who knew that her "cute" idea would lead to a national movement that to date has raised nearly $10 million that is sponsoring cancer research projects all over the country?

please support a local stand in your area or make a donation at margaret and her family's virtual stand. click here for info on alex's cause or to find lemonade stand locations.

and for those in the philly area, visit the alex's lemonade stand mural at 4326 lancaster avenue that was dedicated to the public on june 3rd.

the city of philadelphia mural arts program (MAP) has produced over 2,700 murals throughout philadelphia--more murals than any other city in the world. MAP is involved in mural-making and art education that targets under-served youth at neighborhood sites, both after-school and during the summer. classes use mural-making to teach art, promote self-confidence, and foster life and job skills.