7th Annual Softball Tournament

2009 Tournament Champions, Team Berlin Police & Fire

On Sunday, August 23, 2009, we held our 7th Annual softball tournament benefiting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation in memory of my mother, Theresa Gigliotti. My mom was the most giving and loving person I have ever known. She would take people in or give the shirt off her back to someone in need. She always put others before herself. On March 2, 2003 the world I knew was taken from me.

My mom passed away from lung cancer which had metastasized to her brain and liver. For a year and a half she lived life to the fullest despite her diagnosis. I tried to give her whatever she wanted. Unfortunately I couldn’t give her the healthy life she needed to be here today. We decided to host a softball benefit in her honor in 2003 shortly after she passed away. At the time, the only foundation I really knew for cancer was Susan G. Komen. Then one day I saw a little girl on Oprah named Alex Scott. I called my wife and told her I found the foundation in which we would be holding the tournament in honor of the very next year.

My mom loved kids and what better way to keep her spirit alive then by helping a cause which benefits the lives of children. This young girl touched my soul! She reminded me of my mom but at a different age. She had the short hair, fragile limbs and a heart of gold! So in August 2004 we held our 2nd softball benefit in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, with all proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Sadly, right before our benefit, Alex passed away. Since that time, we have become friends with Liz and Jay Scott, as well as their three boys - we consider them part of our family. I tell them all the time, now I have two angels watching over me, one is my mom and one is Alex. We have seen the foundation grow so much over the years, it is amazing that this one little girl has touched so many lives. I know this to be the truth since she has touched our lives forever.

I honestly believe that people come into your life for a reason and Alex was definitely a blessing to ours. Ever since I saw Alex we have been holding annual softball benefits in memory of my mom along with other fundraisers with all the proceeds going to her foundation. Last year the softball benefit took place in South Ardmore Park and our team, Team Theresa, won the championship! This year we beat our goal by raising over $6,000 regardless of mother nature having to change our date. What a fun-filled day complete with clowns, a moon bounce, food, music, softball and of course, Alex’s Lemonade!

2009 Team Alex

We would like to thank everyone for supporting such a great cause which is near & dear to our hearts and hope everyone looks out for our 8th annual softball benefit in August 2010!.

- Albert & Natalie Gigliotti

An Intern's Experience...

When I encounter people as wonderful as Liz and Jay Scott, as well as the rest of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation crew, I sometimes wonder if people are really as good as they seem. Can they really be so giving by donating so much of their time to helping other people? Yet as I have spent time at the foundation over the past three weeks as part of the Julien Krinsky Career Builders summer program, I have found that everyone is just as great, in fact, even better, than I ever could have known. Seeing as this was my first job, I didn’t know what to expect. Sure, I stuffed a few envelopes and typed up a few spreadsheets, but to some extent I expected that. What I did not expect, however, was how welcoming everyone was to me, a 17-year-old who was newly employed. Everyone here made me feel like I was part of the lemonade family and for that I am grateful. They let me into their world, even allowing me to meet the children and families who inspire their work, and I could not have asked for a better way to spend my summer!

Probably the greatest thing that I was able to do was attend a check presentation at Rita’s in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Beforehand, I was asked to read about all of the children who would be attending. These Heroes, childhood cancer fighters, would be in attendance along with their families. After my initial introduction to the children via the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation website, I was unsure if I was going to be able to handle this interaction. Not only were the descriptions of the children so beautifully written, but I myself am no stranger to cancer as it has greatly affected my family. So, to be perfectly honest, I was scared. Upon entrance to Rita’s though, I knew I would be okay, as the smiling faces of everyone present kept my spirits high. The Rita’s staff did a great job of entertaining the children and providing everyone with delicious treats, but it was the children that made the experience so special to me. It was then that I was able to fully understand the effect that the foundation has on the lives of so many, and I’m so thankful that I was able to be a part of it.

-Alexis, ALSF Summer Intern

A Pond Tour for the Cure

Six companies in the Delaware Valley area, Aqua Scapes of the Delaware Valley, Aquatic Connections, Cedar Run Landscapes, James Ponds, Laurel Oak, & Splash of Nature sponsored their first Pond Tour to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). The Tour, entitled ‘Alex’s Lemonade Pond Tour…A Tour for the Cure’ was held on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

The purpose of a Pond Tour is to provide an opportunity for watergarden enthusiasts/hobbyists, as well as novices to the industry, to travel around and visit waterfeatures (be they a pond or pondless waterfall) and enjoy the beauty, tranquility and serenity of each unique feature. There were 24 features showcased on this tour. A modest fee was assessed to take the tour; 100% of which were donated to ALSF. Approximately 200 people participated in this inaugural event. One tour was held in Pennsylvania and the second in New Jersey. Between participants as well as individual & corporate sponsors, we are thrilled to say that we raised over $8,000 for Alex. A sincere “thank you” is extended to everyone who participated.

Toast The Host Party from Lentzcaping on Vimeo.

The feedback from tour-goers and tour hosts has been overwhelmingly positive. Many are looking forward to next year’s event, which promises to be bigger and better. During the tour, we also ran 8 Alex’s Lemonade Stands to assist in our fundraising efforts. Kids volunteered their time to operate these stands. We are grateful for their contributions, as they are a credit to their communities.

To show our appreciation to the homeowners who opened up their backyard and, in some instances, their front yard oasis, we conducted a “Toast the Host” party this past Saturday, August 8 at Lentzcaping’s headquarters in Warrington, PA. During this event, we were honored to present Liz & Jay Scott, Alex’s parents, with our ceremonial check representing the Pond Tour’s proceeds. We were equally honored and blessed to have as our special guest, Felicia Frugoli, a 4-year-old little girl who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. We were happy to learn that Felicia is currently in remission from this dreaded disease.

It is Felicia, and children like her, that our group has passionately dedicated ourselves to, in order to continue the growth of Alex’s legacy of community involvement and “giving-back.” When you have the opportunity to experience firsthand the success being realized globally due to foundations like ALSF, and to see the difference their efforts can make in a child’s life, it is easy to want to get involved. Our group is committed to our support of this cause, as we look to take our efforts to new heights in the future.

Our goal is to be the #1 volunteer fundraiser/supporter of ALSF. We even expect to challenge some of the larger corporate supporters. The true reality--anyone who aligns themselves with ALSF and its cause to rid the world of pediatric cancer is #1. We (Al Lentz, George Mihalchick, Alden Zove, Diane Baker, Guy Scott, Brent Ludlow and me, Jerry Lister) invite you all “to dare to make a difference.” Our kids are depending on us...lets deliver for them!!!

(Stay tuned for next year!!!)

- Jerry Lister

Baking Toward a Cure...

Hi, my name is Anja Hollander, and I work for HC Brill, a baking supply company based in Atlanta, GA. One aspect of my job is to go to grocery store bakeries during their promotions and offer support. One store that I’m contracted through is Giant Eagle, a large grocery store based in Pennsylvania, with over 200 stores expanding into the surrounding states.

Giant Eagle was taking part in a special promotion with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Their bakeries sold special “lemon” baked goods to raise awareness for childhood cancer. They also made a donation to the Foundation.

Giant Eagle ran this special promotion for 2 weeks in all of their stores. HC Brill supplied items the stores could use as part of their displays; awareness stickers to be applied to the packaging and Alex's Lemonade Stand signs. Each store created a display set up with Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Drop Cookies & Half cakes using Giant Eagles’ signature cake - White Almond with lemon filling.

Things went amazingly well during the promotion; excitement was high within the bakery as well as throughout the entire store, which easily carried over to the customers! The most touching part of the event was how so many people got behind and supported the cause. The stores put together some really great displays and a lot of them posted Alex’s story. Customers were drawn to the colorful displays and once they read the story, were more than happy to take home a delicious desert from Giant Eagle. A success for all involved!