Bringing Alex’s Lemonade Stand to the HCEA

For three days this past June, five colleagues from MC2 – a leading provider of events and exhibits – went to the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association’s (HCEA) Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida. They took the occasion—and what seemed to be perfect timing—to turn their booth into an Alex’s Lemonade Stand!

Coming just at the tail end of National Lemonade Days (June 12, 13 &14), HCEA’s Annual Meeting is an educational and knowledge sharing event dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of all healthcare conventions, congresses, medical meetings and exhibits. Its attendees run the gamut from noted practitioners to government officials, heads of medical associations to senior marketing executives. Here was a great opportunity to build awareness among an important group of people. MC2 offered to make a donation on behalf of everyone who was willing to stop by the stand, have a glass of lemonade and learn about the work of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. We’re happy to report that the response was fantastic.

Not only did the stand generate a $1,500 contribution, but 480 of the meeting’s attendees visited it. While the visitors were having their lemonade, folks from the MC2 team made sure to talk to them about the history and mission of ALSF and encourage them to get involved. The buzz was so positive, that the lemonade stand was featured on local morning news, and more than one medical association asked if MC2 would set up a lemonade stand at their meeting as well. Plans are in the works.

During this same period, and as part of Lemonade Days, MC² employees built and hosted 12 additional lemonade stands in their local communities, including Atlanta, GA; Kingman, AZ; and Pen Argyl, PA.

For us, this is a first step. We look forward to bringing an Alex’s Lemonade Stand to other events where we have a presence as well as to other communities where we live and work. All of us at MC2 are proud to contribute to the important and inspiring work of ALSF.

-- Steven Philips, executive vice president of strategy at MC²
http://www.mc-2.com/