We did it! Anna’s Lemonade Stand was a roaring success! We hit our goal, ran past it, and kept on going! What started as a stretch goal of $5,000 ended up being over $14,000 raised for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. This came from people known and unknown via our online page (what you see here), an incredible classroom competition at ICGS (soon to be posted here), and the event day (soon to be posted here). Unbelievable and fantastic for each, but altogether...WOW!!!

The weather was gorgeous, the location was perfect, and the people who came…to volunteer, to donate, to wave signs, to pour lemonade, to cheer everyone on…beyond our expectations! Ferrara Candy donated the kid-adored Lemonheads to the cause. K7 donated the very popular lemon squeeze balls. The Elmhurst Fire Department brought their truck for the kids to explore. Northwestern Mutual not only loaned us a lemonade stand but also matched our donations during our peak lemonade time. The Knights of Columbus brought a handmade doll and outfits for Anna to enjoy. Fathers Chris, and Mike, as well as Deacon Max each stopped by (Father Tom was there in spirit) and enjoyed the lemonade on a hot day with us. Countless members of the IC and Visitation parishes, as well as the Elmhurst community came to donate and ask about Anna and the cause. Friends and family from all over came by and surprised us with hugs and gifts and lots of love.

Literally none of this would have been possible without the teamwork and support of two of the most positive, creative, and hardworking moms I had the great luck to connect with…when this was just a crazy idea (to have a bigger lemonade stand)…and to make this the great success that it was. Andrea Krautkramer and Stephanie Maddock selflessly took all of this onto their already busy lives and made this happen. I am so grateful to them…and to all of you near and far.

For every dollar donated, every “like” for the oodles of posts on Facebook and here, for the prayers, for the love…it all is meaningful, important, and appreciated. You all are not only making a difference in our family’s lives, but for so many other families and children. Thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts.

---Ruth, Tony, Claire, and Anna