Proceeds from lemonade stand to fund childhood cancer research
by CHRISTINE A. SETLOCK Intern

Alex's Lemonade Stand workers, from left to right, Ariel McNitt, Jennifer Jerzewski, and Jessica Jerzewski, and standing behind them, Kim Jerzewski and Evelyn Trubits, have been busy selling lemonade to support research to find a cure for childhood cancer.

The summer fund drive known as Alex's Lemonade Stand is coming to Horizons Home Show in Amherst on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28.

Visitors will find the stand at the corner of North Rockingham and Arcadian Drive, outside the home show ticket booth.

The lemonade stand, organized by Evelyn Trubits, is part of a nationwide effort to raise money for childhood cancer research, which was begun in 2000 by the late Alexandra Scott, a young cancer patient who started selling lemonade to help doctors find a cure.

Trubits said that her son's best friend is a cancer survivor and that she was inspired by the lemonade stand story after seeing it on television.

"I sat there and cried through the entire thing, and I said, 'We need to do something to help,'" she said.

Trubits held the lemonade stand at her Lockhart Circle residence this past weekend, raising more than $350.

Small refreshment stands have appeared throughout the country, with more than 8,000 held since 2004, raising $11 million for childhood cancer research, according to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Trubits said the lemonade stand will feature games for children, candy, free stuffed animals with any purchase and baked goods, in addition to lemonade.

She distributed fliers throughout the neighborhood and posted an advertisement at a local pizzeria so people would know of the fundraising event.

She also decided to hold a garage sale last weekend to bring a greater number of people over to the lemonade stand. Twenty percent of the proceeds from that sale will benefit the childhood cancer research fund.

Trubits hopes to raise more when the fundraiser moves to the home show July 27-28.

Trubits' neighbor, Kim Jerzewski, is helping with the fund drive and said she hosted a bake party with the neighborhood mothers so that the stand can offer cake. Her two young children are learning how to run a lemonade stand and make change.

"It's something that someone even as young as 5 can learn about, running a charity and giving

something back," Jerzewski said. "We're excited because it's such a good cause."

The fund drive operates under the premise that no donation is too small. The cost of a cup of lemonade is $1. Larger donations are also welcome. According to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, $50 will fund one hour of research, and $400 will fund one day of research.

For information visit www. alexslemonade. org.

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership and the First Niagara Bank will sponsor Horizons 2007, an on-site home show, through Sunday, July 29. The event will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Lake Forest Subdivision in Amherst. For more information or for directions visit www. bnba. org.