Ella and Sophie on a break; more photos inside
July 2, 2010
by Susie Pender
Last July, the three Raath girls from Douglas Road –Sophia, Ella and Lily – spent the morning of the Fourth of July screaming. “Lemonade! LEMONADE FOR SALE!” they shouted at every pedestrian, bike rider, jogger and car that happened along Douglas Road in the vicinity of their Roaring Brook bus stop at the corner of Park Drive.
But this year they have a secret weapon: an official South African vuvuzela to attract the attention of potential customers and contributors to their local outpost of Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The original Alex’s Lemonade Stand was run by Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who suffered from neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. From age four until she passed away at age eight, Alex raised a total of $1 million for pediatric cancer research through her lemonade stand and its supporters. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, http://www.alexslemonade.org conti,nues her inspirational work, “fighting childhood cancer, one cup at a time.”
Sophie, age 9, Ella, age 7 and Lily, age 3, raised $318 last year to fight childhood cancer, and have set “at least $400,” stated Sophie with determination, as their goal for this year. They will stick with their winning pricing strategy of last year. They didn’t set a price, they just asked for donations. “We told people, it doesn’t matter how much money you pay, it’s for children with cancer. One man gave us $20!” recalled Sophie.
Neighbors and friends pitch in to help
Just like last year, neighbors and school chums are pitching in to help the girls make their goal. They will offer two kinds of lemonade, pink and regular, and homemade treats including chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies and perhaps popcorn. “We haven’t decided quite yet about that,” explained the girls’ mother, Kerry Raath, a radiation therapist at White Plains Hospital.
One neighbor has offered to bring his grill to the lemonade stand and cook hot dogs for customers. “We will have ketchup and mustard too,” said Ella reassuringly. “We can put it on for you, or you can put it on yourself if you want.”
They’ve thought of everything. “We’ll have dog water bowls, so bring your dog too,” Ella encouraged.
Sophie and Ella have made signs that will appear along Douglas Road this weekend starting at the duck pond to lead the way to the lemonade stand. They will be open on Sunday, July 4, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, or later if the lemonade and goodies hold out. If you can’t make it, you can go to http://www.alexslemonade.org/stands/17692 to make a donation.
There’s only one potential problem, as the Raath family sees it: little Lily’s appetite. “I’m just going to want to drink and eat all the time,” she freely admitted. Her dad calls her his little piranha fish.
So don’t let Lily have all the fun. Plan to stop by the lemonade stand, with your dog, on Sunday for a cool drink and a sweet treat, and maybe even a hot dog with ketchup and mustard. And maybe if you throw a bit more in the till, the girls will stop blowing the vuvuzela!
Sophie, Ella, Russell (dad) and Lily
Lemonade stand sales staff: Ella, Lily (held by mom), Kerry and Sophie
Sophie making her sales pitch
Looks like Sophie’s about to make a sale,
Sophie and a happy customer, a lifeguard from Chappaqua Swim and Tennis Club
Copyright 2012 NewCastleNOW.org