Happy Memorial Day from ALSF!

Happy Memorial Day! In honor of the official start to summer, and lemonade season, we have created a quick video to show you how you can register a stand or event to get involved with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation!

Take a quick look at the video, and while you are at it, visit our newly launched website and let us know what you think.

Have a great long weekend and we’ll see you back here next week as we gear up for Lemonade Days (June 11-13).



- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Twilight Star Supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Through PSA

Over the course of the past year, we have been lucky enough to garner the support of a few celebrities. One of these celebrities, Peter Facinelli of the Twilight saga and Nurse Jackie series on Showtime, found out about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation while on Twitter. If you too are on Twitter, you may know that Peter Facinelli was among the first to garner over 1 million followers, and he has been active ever since. After finding us on Twitter (@AlexsLemonade), he decided that he would raise funds for the foundation at some of his appearances across the country. To date he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for childhood cancer, and recently extended his support in another way.

In early March Peter agreed to be a part of our 2010 television public service announcement, donating his time to visit the CBS2 & KCAL9 studios in Los Angeles to record the spot. It was only a few weeks ago that the editing was complete and a few days ago that we were able to share the finished product. So, we posted the video on Youtube late Wednesday, and its popularity took off. In less than three days, the video has already had over 10,000 views, and has launched Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to be the most popular channel on Youtube today!

As we gear up for Lemonade Days (June 11-13), and the summer season ahead, this PSA has given us a great boost and the momentum is palpable. View one of the two versions of the PSA below, send the link to all of your friends, and make sure to follow both @AlexsLemonade and @PeterFacinelli on twitter!



- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

The Alexs Return to the Preakness, Continuing Two Inspiring Legacies

As many of you may remember, it was 5 years ago when thoroughbred race horse Afleet Alex won the Preakness after narrowly escaping a fall and catastrophe. We remember the gasps and silence as the audience at Pimlico held their breath to see the outcome. Though it was only a second, it felt like minutes until Afleet Alex popped back up and won the race, which was only one of the miraculous things that the horse and his owners were doing that day. While they were achieving their own dream of a win in the Triple Crown series, they were also allowing Alex’s dream of a cure for all childhood cancers to continue. Less than a year after we lost our daughter, Alex’s Lemonade Stands were set up at all three Triple Crown races and for each Afleet Alex win, place or show a donation was made to the newly formed foundation.



Looking back, it was likely the boost we needed in an uncertain time for the newly born Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. We knew we wanted to continue what Alex had started, but we weren’t sure if we would be able to do it without our inspiration, Alex, as she was the face and driving force behind the stands. The Preakness was surely a turning point for all of the Afleet Alex connections, and one that we can definitely point to. The talented thoroughbred would go on to win the Belmont Stakes, which could have been the end of our horse racing run, but it wasn’t. The owners and trainers of Afleet Alex have continued to support the foundation, and one of them, the Brittingham’s even suggested we return to the Preakness this year.

Now, 5 years after the miraculous win at the Preakness, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and one of Afleet Alex’s offspring, Dublin, are returning to Pimlico Race Track on Saturday, May 15. It seems fitting that both Alexs will be present on Saturday, and we know that the world of thoroughbred racing will once again embrace the cause.

We’re looking forward to another day at the races and an opportunity to revisit the place where dreams came true in 2005. If you’re at the races tomorrow, make sure to visit our stand, and if you’re at home, route for Dublin!

- Liz & Jay Scott, Alex's parents

Kicking off Lemonade Season with a fun flapjack fundraiser!

If our schedules are any indication, the busy time of the year - “lemonade season” - is certainly upon us. Last Saturday, May 1, Jay and I attended two separate kick-off events for The Rose Group’s May fundraising campaign for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. The Rose Group is a local franchisee of Applebee’s restaurants, and this year’s fundraising campaign, which will take place throughout the entire month of May, kicked-off with $5 pancake breakfasts at all 59 restaurants in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

I went to the Havertown Applebee’s with two of Alex’s brothers, Eddie and Joey, and was joined by one of our wonderful staff members and two of her children. It was apparent when we pulled up that we were in the right place, there was an Alex’s Lemonade Stand outside, all of the windows were Alex’s themed, and there seemed to be a sea of Alex’s gear. We enjoyed the pancakes, had the opportunity to meet some of our supporters, and were even treated to a performance by a magician. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning, and judging by the attendance that day, this fundraiser is sure to be a huge success.

While I was in Havertown, Jay was in Center City Philadelphia with a couple of very special guests. While Jay was enjoying his pancakes, Mayor Michael Nutter and District Attorney Seth Williams were serving flapjacks to those in attendance. The restaurant was equally packed and Mayor Nutter even spoke to the crowd about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and the importance of supporting local organizations like ours. How cool to have the support of the Mayor, and for him to join us to talk to the ALSF community was wonderful.



Overall, it was a fun and exciting morning and reminded us of how important all of our supporters are, including our sponsors. Throughout the month of May, the 59 Applebee’s restaurants will continue to raise funds for ALSF by selling paper lemons for $5 which will in turn provide patrons with a $5 off a "Carside-to-go" order, and with each purchase of lemonade, $0.25 per cup will go to ALSF.

We are pleased to report that in the first weekend alone, The Rose Group Applebee’s raised over $35,000! What a great way to kick off lemonade season! We are well on our way, and looking forward to more events and lemonade stands throughout the summer months.

- Liz Scott, Alex's mom