Mary Clare's lemonade stand

In late spring, Mary Clare was helping me clean up the dinner dishes and she saw a program on TV about "Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation" - a foundation formed to honor a young girl who died of cancer at eight years old -- but before she died she raised more than $1 million to help fight pediatric cancer.  The Foundation asks others to hold lemonade stands benefiting the foundation.  Mary Clare was so inspired she decided to hold one herself.  I was so proud of her -- she raised over $500!

The Tennessean newspaper even carried a press release about her efforts --


Franklin girl, 7, plans Saturday lemonade stand to help cancer research

Seven-year-old Franklin resident Mary Clare Jones will hold a lemonade stand from 3-5 p.m. Saturday to help fund childhood cancer research.

The stand will benefit the Pennsylvania-based Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation , which started front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004).

Mary Clare’s younger sister Erin has a friend, Madelyn Gregg, who recently fought a successful battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Mary Clare decided that she could help raise money to find cures for pediatric cancer like ALL.

Mary Clare’s Fantastic Lemonade and Smoothie Stand will serve home-made lemonade such as watermelon lemonade and basil lemonade. The third grader at Battle Ground Academy says that she will use no mixes. She will also offer smoothies.

The stand will be held rain or shine at her downtown Franklin home at 1002 W. Main St., at the corner of 10th Avenue and West Main Street.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $50 million toward research, funding over 200 research projects nationally. For more information, go towww.alexslemonade.org.

Here she is with some friends who came to help.

Some of her gourmet lemonade.

Ready for business!