Setting up a lemonade stand on a hot summer day is a rite of passage for many children, but for Sydney and Taylor Woodworth, the practice has resulted in a large amount of cash raised for a local children’s hospital.
The sisters annual week-long fundraiser surpassed their $18,000 goal this year, bringing in $18,618.40. That pushed the amount they have raised for the Stollery Children’s Hospital over the last seven summers past $50,000.
Sydney and Taylor were just four and eight when they started their annual fundraiser to honour a classmate.
READ MORE: Edmonton sisters raise thousands for Stollery with lemonade stand
Sydney was in kindergarten when fellow student Moses Felix died of leukemia. The girls started talking at the dinner table about what happened to Moses with their mom Lisa. A discussion about life and death led to the idea of a lemonade stand fundraiser to help other sick kids.
The sisters’ week-long fundraiser raised $250 in their first year. The amount doubled the next year. And then doubled again. As word spread, the amount kept growing.
Last year, the fundraiser brought in $16,000, so the girls raised their goal this year to $18,000. The fundraiser has grown beyond loonies and toonies – although those are still accepted – and now collects online donations.
The sisters, now 11 and 15, set up their stand at the Namao Sobey’s (9611 167 Ave NW), selling lemonade, iced tea, snow cones, popcorn, hot dogs and other treats.
Taylor and Sydney are the top fundraisers for the Stollery’s Superstars program, a newly-created initiative that recognizes kids who raise money for the Edmonton children’s hospital. In the past year, kids alone have raised over $315,000 for the Stollery.
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