Kaylee’s raspberry lemonade is beyond good

By Ashley Clementovich

As the month of June came to a close, so, too, did Lemonade Day, a cross-country youth-driven event which inspires kids to think outside the box, come up with savvy business plans, and sell as many glasses of lemonade as they can.

This year, the results of Lemonade Day held on June 22 yielded just one winner who scooped up both prizes with her fantastic 2 Razberry and Beyond. Nine-year-old Kaylee Leis blew everyone away with her delicious raspberry riddled lemonade, and colourful, tropical-themed stand. By picking IGA as her selling location, Leis ensured she would sell a few extra cups to those shoppers who needed some quick refreshment before hauling their heavy bags into their sunbaked cars. Along with her personalized beverage, Leis’s stand offered other treats such as candy and even hand massagers ensuring her stand was both refreshing and relaxing.

On Thursday morning at the Community Futures office, Leis accepted both ribbons for Best Stand and Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, and two $250 Visa gift cards from Mayor Maryann Chichak with a proud yet humble smile on her face. “She’s a saver,” said Leis’s mom, “This will probably last her five years.” Leis informed everyone that her plan for her profits was to “spend some and save some.” As Lemonade Day encourages participants to “spend some, save some, and give some” of their profits, Leis has her eye particularly on a Wii-U for the spending portion. For the giving part of Lemonade Day, she chose to donate some of her profits to the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Leis noted that if she were to participate next year, she would “try to find a really good spot that might have a lot of people that day.”

Mayor Chichak praised Community Futures for organizing such a successful event. “What a remarkable initiative for the youth in our community,” she said.

Community Futures Yellowhead East General Manager Michelle Jones said they were planning to start earlier for next year’s Lemonade Day. They would also look at further business advertisements to help promote the day even more.

Those wishing to participate in Lemonade Day next year have plenty of time to start brainstorming ideas for their recipe, business plan, theme, and stand design.