Lemonade stands were first referenced in news media by the New York Times in 1879 and from the early 1880s children in the United States quickly adopted the use of the stand to earn additional funds during the summer. Locally, eight-year-old Imani-leigh Hall chose this entrepreneurial tool on Labour Day last year to raise funds to assist needy children at Christmas.

Continuing her mission, Hall brought her Lemon-Aid stand to MegaMart in Montego Bay for two days last Friday and Saturday. As part of the project people can buy lemonade or make donations to assist with the cause.

Hall explained that the idea to help came from the realisation that, while she has happy and had gifts at Christmas, there were other children who were less fortunate.

“Every Christmas morning, I wake up and I know that there are presents downstairs for me to be unwrapped. One Christmas morning I woke up and I just felt bad for the children that had nothing. So I asked my mom if I could raise some money for a lemonade stand on Labour Day and all the money I made would go to charity,” she explained.

Out of this, ILAH’s Lemon-Aid Stand for Kids was created.

Hall was able to raise funds from her first outing on Labour Day by selling to her neighbours and convincing others to “make a sweet donation in aid of kids” at two more successful events. This led to her first charity event, a Christmas treat at Maxfield Park Children’s Home on December 3, last year.

The event was a huge success with the help of corporate sponsors and her friends who donated gifts and participated in activities during the treat.

Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ), through their brands Cariburst and Lifespan Spring Water, recently partnered with Hall allowing her to achieve even more. Now armed with her specific formulation for lemonade mix and support from CPJ, her mom Dr Thea-Nicole Davis and family friend Niko McClausland, Hall rolled out her summer tour.

Hall went on to add that she is enjoying the journey and the rewards make her happy.

“I’m enjoying it. I get to help people and I like to see the joy on their faces when they open their presents,” she gushed.

ILAH’s Lemon-Aid Stand for Kids is scheduled for stops at Progressive Grocers (Ocho Rios) on August 25 and 26, General Foods (Liguanea) August 31 and September 1, and Loshusan (Barbican) on September 2 from 12:00 to 5:00 pm daily.

Thursday Food craves your support.

— Aceion Cunningham