The idea for a lemonade stand fundraising event for the UMMC Foundation came about after campaign volunteers looked across Centennial Park one day.
“Our Co-Chairs are Maddie and Patrick Casey. Patrick sent in a donation to the hospital last December and I though what a great idea to have Patrick Co-Chair this and help get families and other kids involved in giving back to the community,” says Lori Aratari, Senior Development Officer for Rochester Regional Health/UMMC Foundation.
“This is not the first time we have done something like this,” says Maddie Casey.
Maddie,11, and Patrick,10, have a traveling lemonade stand and have raised funds for the Veteran’s Home and a Cancer Research Foundation.
“We’ve done five lemonade stands over the years and one traveling stand, we started when we were 6 or 7 years old,” says Patrick.
There were about 13 lemonade stands at the first ever UMMC Foundation Lemonade Stand fundraiser. The Foundation was looking to raise about $4,000 for the UMMC Maternity Fund that will be used to purchase baby swaddles for every baby that is born at UMMC.
Aratari says there are 500 babies born at UMMC each year. Before the event in Centennial Park on Thursday evening, $3600 was raised through the Foundation’s “Just Giving” platform, with grandparents, aunts and uncles donating.
“I thought the date was significant, June 23rd, because today is the last day of school for the kids, so what a great way for them to start the summer and learn about giving back to the community. For the hospital, we’re not anything without community support.”
