Lemonade Day details given at first mentor session

By Ashley Clementovich

Lemonade Day participants attended the first mentor session last Thursday evening at the Forest Interpretive Centre. Excited children and their parents filled almost every seat, an impressive turnout for this first time event in Whitecourt.

Beginning in 2007 in Houston, Texas and quickly spreading across North America, Lemonade Day fosters entrepreneurial skills in young people from pre-kindergarten to 18 in their home community. Participants will plan and execute a small business using their creative skills.

Since the official Lemonade Day isn’t until June 22, participants will have plenty of time to prepare. Everyone was given a bright yellow backpack full of information including workbooks, videos, photo release forms as well as lease agreements. Two representatives from Community Futures Yellowhead East provided a short presentation on the requirements for Lemonade Day.

Communications economic development co-ordinator Ellen MacCormac and General Manager Michelle Jones described how each participant would need to come up with a business plan, develop a budget, and obtain a start up or seed money. Children are expected to raise funds from yard sales, bottle drives, or extra chores at home or in their neighborhood. Jones and MacCormac outlined the difference between a sponsor and an investor stating that participants could access both. “Sponsors can come in the form of people wanting to help out,” said MacCormac. Along with acquiring a business licence at the town office, the young entrepreneurs are required to obtain permission to set up a lemonade stand on their business property. While they may choose any location, Jones recommended choosing a spot downtown. “You probably want to be where the crowd’s at,” she said.

Parents were also given the task of downloading the Lemonade Day app which pinpoints where the stands are placed around town and can be seen on a map across Canada.

The young entrepreneurs were instructed to have perfected their lemonade recipe by the next mentor session on June 6. The winner of the tasting will be awarded a ribbon which can proudly be featured on his or her stand on Lemonade Day. Each participant will also need to present a business licence and completed workbook with a detailed business plan. MacCormac described the process as a “simplified level for them, but the principles are there.”

Jones encouraged everyone to pick a theme for their stand from rainbows to transformers; anything to make them stand out from the crowd. The participants are also allowed to sell packaged food products and crafts such as friendship bracelets. “They’re only limited by imagination and seed money,” said MacCormac. Visa gift card prizes of $250 are awarded to the winners of the best tasting lemonade, the best stand, and local entrepreneur of the year. On June 22, get ready to drink some lemonade!