When Life Gives You Lemons, Make a Lemonade Stand for Charity

Big Sunday’s second annual “When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade” Stands Project, squeezed out a big success this year.

Some 75 lemonade stands — run by kids to benefit kids — raised nearly $9,000 for five local nonprofits that assist young people.

“I’d like to do this again,” said nine-year-old Ethan Gates, who spent Big Sunday selling lemonade at Montrose Community Park with his Cub Scout group. “It was a good feeling to help people who have problems.”

Gates, and about 13 friends, set up two stands at the park, one near the playground and another by the ball field. The enterprising youths took orders from parent’s watching the games and then delivered the ice-cold drinks. One of them even wore a sandwich board and walked around the park yelling: “Get Your Ice Cold Lemonade.” The group raised more than $100 for Shane’s Inspiration, which builds playgrounds for disabled children.

The four other nonprofits benefiting from the lemonade stand sales include, Para Los Niños, which offers educational family programs for low-income children; Create Now!, which provides creative arts programs for at-risk youth; Special Needs Network Inc., which supports low-income families of autistic children; and Students Run LA, which trains and mentors at-risk students to run the L.A. Marathon.

The Big Sunday lemonade stands were set up at the end of home driveways, at farmer’s markets, at several Caruso Affiliated malls, at parks, at schools and at other locations far and wide.

“This is a great way for kids to learn that, even though they’re young, they can make a positive difference in the lives of others,” said Melissa Toy Ozeas, who parlayed her experience of running a single lemonade stand for her daughter into overseeing this citywide effort for Big Sunday.

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