Alex's Lemonade Stand Article

This is the article written about our stand!

HEAD: When life gives you cancer, make lemonade

SUBHEAD: Young friends unite to help Alex's cause

by Tony Flynn, Argus Editor

MOUNT VERNON — Service clubs looking for a go-getter may want to enlist Dane Williams into their fold — once he finishes growing up that is.

Thanks to a bottomless well of enthusiasm and energy that only a 6 year old understands, lunchtime visitors to Pine Square in downtown Mount Vernon were treated to lemonade, sold by Williams and his good friend Kelby Wright of Burlington for a donation to the Alex's Lemonade Stand.

The lemonade stand is part of a nationwide program started by 4-year-old Alexandra "Alex" Scott in 2000 when she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer. She died peacefully at home four years later but not before she had started her front yard lemonade stand to raise money for cancer research. In the four years she lived with cancer Alex, through the help of many other neighborhood lemonade stands across America, raised nearly $5 million.

Kelby Wright was diagnosed with the same cancer as Alex Scott when she was 18 months old. Since then the 7 -year-old has undergone numerous treatments, had three relapses and is currently on her fourth remission. She will be entering second grade in a few days and said she is looking forward to recess and playing on the monkey bars.

It was a discussion Kelby's mother, Shawna Wright, had with Kelby's buddy Dane that spurred the idea of opening a local Alex's Lemonade Stand. It seems Dane wanted to take part as a team captain in this past summer's Relay For Life cancer walk. He shared his desire with Shawna Wright, who told him he had gotten started too late for this year. However, she said if Dane wanted to help Kelby put together and run the lemonade stand, she'd see to it that he gets to be a team captain for Relay For Life in 2007.

"He said, 'Bring me the wood and I'll build you a stand,' so we got them going on it right away," said Shawna. They set a goal of raising $2,000 and before Friday's lunchtime event in Mount Vernon they had generated $500. This coming Friday, Sept. 1 they will be setting up their stand in front of the Thrifty Foods store off Fairhaven Avenue in Burlington from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Last week's event came about after Mistry Williams, Dane's mother had told Bill and Kathy Adleman, owners of the Lunchbox Restaurant, about their efforts. The Adelmans helped them procure a tent and a spot in Pine Square. "We've done a lot of fundraisers before and like what they were doing," said Bill Adleman.

The bulk of the items needed to operate the stand came from donations by numerous stores in the community, said Mistry. "They pitched in and gave us everything we needed to get going, from the lemonade to the napkins and cups," she said.

Dane Williams said his motivation centers on his friend. "I wanted to do it for Kelby," he said grinning as he put his arm around the much more shy Kelby, who smiled back.