Five Fighters

The Gregory, Williams, Spracher, Bradley and Gesing families
Simpsonville, SC

Five families impacted by childhood cancer knew they could use their experiences to help others. That’s why they hold an annual lemonade stand with the hope that other families won’t have to go through what they did. No promo is too outlandish for them as they paint their school’s spirit rock, write on car windows and post flyers across town.

They host the stand on the hottest and rainiest weekends of the year. Outside their local grocery store, they ask for donations from any shoppers or community members. Every year their hearts break at how underfunded pediatric cancer research is, as they meet more kids who have diagnosed. Their joy comes from seeing so many people rally around their cause: better research and kinder treatments. This year, they have added virtual fundraising elements like an online painting class that gives part of the proceeds to their stand.

“I love seeing our community come together to support these kids! Our first year, we set a goal of raising $2,000, and later when I saw that, I thought, ‘What were we thinking? That's a huge amount!’ Our community came through spectacularly,” said Jami, one of the organizers.

The Gregory family’s Tips to Stand Hosts:

“Word of mouth is our best advertising, but we also post on Facebook, put flyers up, and contact anyone that may have contacts with news or any other media. Our friends and volunteers help us spread the word, as well.”