Welcome to September! Fall officially begins on Tuesday, September 22, but before we box up all our tank tops, skirts, and swim suits to make room for sweaters, jackets, and pants in your wardrobe, let’s take a moment to consider one last staple of summertime: a cup of lemonade.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which CURE Childhood Cancer describes as “a time to shine the light on the realities of childhood cancer, emphasize the importance of life-saving research, and join together to make a difference for children diagnosed.” There are many excellent organizations dedicated to fighting childhood cancer year-round. A few years ago, we had the honor of working with one association that is quite close to home: Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
At four years old, Alex Scott told her parents she wanted to set up a lemonade stand in their front yard and donate the earnings to doctors researching a cure to childhood cancer. Before she passed in 2004, her annual lemonade stands had raised over $1 million, and led to the establishment of her namesake foundation.
Since then, ALSF has launched a wide range of fundraising events, including their annual “yellow tie” gala, known as The Lemon Ball. The gala features inspirational award winners, silent and live auctions, along with cocktails, desserts and dancing. In 2015, we made a video showcasing all of that evening’s fun festivities. You can watch it below:
The event raised more than $1,000,000, which helped fund thousands of hours of pediatric cancer research. And despite the complications of this year, ALSF is planning to host the 15th Annual Lemon Ball in January 2021. You can learn more about the event here. If you are interested in other ways to take part in Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we have included some additional links below.
In order to spread awareness, many charities suggest that you #GoGold by wearing a gold ribbon and adding it to your social media profiles. ALSF also has a list of ten different ways that you can contribute to the cause. Along with directly donating to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, here are some other organizations that could use your help: