A brief history of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation at NMU from the perspective of a Student Fellow

The local Alex’s Lemonade Stand chapter was started by Meghan Connell, a Kiwi Block, who was in the SLFP leadership class at the time. Meghan’s experience with the organization started while she worked at a camp for children with cancer. When the death of one camper occurred, the family took donations for Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

After researching the organization, she put forth a fundraiser as the SLFP class service project. Although her project was not picked, she continued on with this effort and almost single-handedly ran the first annual Lemon Run which raised money for the national ALS, a non-profit that raises funds for pediatric cancer research. I am writing this history after the fourth annual Lemon Run. Meghan Connell started a great organization at NMU that has raised several thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer advocacy and research. It is fitting that each year an SLFP member has held leadership roles in the organization.

Next year Liz Sabin, a Banana Block, will become the president, and at the current time, the only member as the rest of the organization graduates in the spring. This is praise for Alex’s Lemonade Stand chapter at NMU and the lives that it changes as well as a plea for volunteers. This organization cannot be as successful as it has in past four years without volunteers, and the SLFP has always had a major role in this organization.     

Alex’s Lemonade Stand NMU chapter 2012 at the 4^th annual lemon run.