ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — A perfect pour is essential to a successful lemonade stand and a group of kids in Howard County are practicing their pours for when they host a stand in mid-September.
It is part of a nationwide charity called Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), which raises money for pediatric cancer research and programs for sick children and their families.
ALSF gives the money to hospitals and organizations around the U.S., including the Children's Hospital at Johns Hopkins. The kids are raising money for the "Travel for Care" and "Super Sibs" funds within ALSF.
12-year-old Morgan Simpkins started doing a lemonade stand in her neighborhood three years ago. She raised $200 in the first year and $400 in the second year. This year, she is hoping to raise $1,000.
"I’m very fortunate to be healthy and I want to help people who might not be as fortunate," Morgan said.
She has recruited friends and other neighborhood kid to help serve lemonade and cupcakes, including brothers Jake and Mason Cleveland.
"I’ve always liked helping people but I don’t always get the chance because I don’t have enough money to support people, so this is a way I can," said 12-year-old Jake.
"I think its nice to know that I’m helping out with childhood cancer," said nine-year-old Mason.
Their mom, Kat, said she was more than happy to support her sons in wanting to help with the lemonade stand. "They read about the foundation and about Alex’s story and they were really inspired and really touched."
Morgan's mom, Michele, is also very proud of the kids' efforts to organize and host the lemonade stand.
"These kids have huge, huge hearts, all of them and they’re great. It’s fun to work with them."
The ALSF lemonade stand will be set up on Saturday September 21 at the Woodland Village Recreation Center at 7710 Old Stockbridge Drive in Ellicott City from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
To make a donation to their fundraiser online, click here.
