The second annual Good Lemonade Day fundraiser on June 3 raised $17,500.
This year nearly 70 lemonade stands popped up in 17 B.C. communities, all on the same day, providing children with a fun opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause.
The chosen beneficiary of this year's Good Lemonade Day donations was JoeAnna's House, a compassionate home-away-from-home for families with loved ones receiving care at Kelowna General Hospital.
The tremendous success of the event was made possible not only by the participation of more than 50 B.C. families hosting lemonade stands in their neighbourhoods, but also by the support of Prestige Hotels and Resorts, who set up lemonade stands at each of their properties.
"We were so excited to be a part of the second annual Good Lemonade Day," said Karen Tse Nunn, a mother of the participating families from Fernie.
"Living in the small town of Fernie, our family and friends have experienced the stress and uncertainty of travelling to distant cities for medical care. I vividly remember the scramble when our day-old baby was airlifted to the hospital from Fernie," she said.
"We met many other parents who found themselves unexpectedly stranded in a new city while their baby was in the NICU. That's why we support JoeAnna's House, which provides families with a much-needed place to stay while their loved ones receive medical care in Kelowna."
Each lemonade stand received a starter pack of supplies, including two t-shirts, lemonade mix, signage, and balloons. Several stands went above and beyond by selling cookies and other treats to boost their donations.
They showcased their creativity through captivating decorations and signage. Many family-run stands achieved remarkable success, raising several hundred dollars within just a few hours. One Salmon Arm family raised an incredible $1,500.
While most stands were located in the Kelowna area, families in Smithers, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Fernie, Salmon Arm, and Vernon also set up their lemonade stands to support the cause.
After two successful fundraisers the committee says they intend to grow the event each year.
In two years, Good Lemonade Day has raised over $34,000.
