UMW Ambassadors give back with Alex's Lemonade Stand

By EMILY HANSON

Can your change make a change? The University of Mary Washington Ambassadors believe that it can, and are offering students the chance to make a change by purchasing cups of lemonade to raise donations for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

According to the official website for ALSF, the foundation was established in 2000 by Alex Scott, a young girl diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a common form of childhood cancer. Part of the foundation’s mission, as outlined on the official website, is “to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.”

This is the second annual lemonade stand for ALSF held by the UMW Ambassadors. Volunteers from the club saw the lemonade stand as an opportunity to make a difference.

“It’s always about what you can do for others and not what others can do for you,” junior UMW ambassador and chemistry and biology double major Ramona Thomas said.

The UMW Ambassadors had volunteers mix the Country Time Lemonade, an official sponsor of ALSF. Volunteers manned a table in front of the steps to Lee Hall from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17. They asked for a donation of 25 cents for every cup of lemonade.

However, as people passed by, they would often donate whatever spare change or cash they had on them.

Part of the UMW Ambassadors’ mission is to give their members the skills necessary to be interactive participants of their community. They do this by serving as a link between the UMW alumni and current students.

The meetings the students have with alumni serves as “the alumni’s way of getting an inside to the campus,” junior biology and environmental geology double major and president of the UMW Ambassadors Luci Coleman said.

The money raised through ALSF helps support numerous studies and trial treatments for cures to childhood cancer. ALSF also assists families who need to travel for cancer treatment for their child with gas cards, meal accommodations, airline tickets and parking vouchers.

“We donate 100 percent of what we make to the foundation,” sophomore Victoria Beasley said.

In order to learn more about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, or to donate, go to www.alexslemonade.org.