Photo: Applebee's Raises More Than $1.2 Million for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080820/NYW028 )

    To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/applebees/34361/

The story began in 2005 when Liz and Jay Scott, Alex's parents, reached out to executives at The Rose Group in an effort to gain support from local businesses for the new foundation dedicated to their daughter. Armed with 67 restaurants in Southeast PA, Southern NJ,Delaware,Baltimore,Wilkes Barre/Scranton and theLehigh Valley, the two organizations worked hand-in-hand over four weeks and raised $166,000 dollars by selling cups of lemonade and paper lemons at their restaurant locations.

Over the next three summers, the coalition extended to more than 100 restaurants and expanded to include a wide variety of events ranging from golf outings, in-restaurant lemonade stands and contests, to bake sales, fairs and car washes.

As the program grew, so did the dollar amount raised. By 2006, the program reached $276,000, and in 2007, that figure grew to over $355,000. That set the stage for this year's $1.2 million milestone.

"From the very beginning, we were dedicated to raising as much as possible in support of this important cause," said Harry T. Rose, chairman and CEO of The Rose Group. "But when we saw how our restaurant neighborhoods rallied behind us year after year in our efforts, we knew we were on the verge of something big. And each year, we raised the bar higher and before long, the dream of reaching one million dollars became a reality."

For Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, this reality is very close to home. Alex Scott was only four-years-old when she opened her first lemonade stand on her front lawn in July of 2000. Her idea was simple -- sell cups of lemonade to help "her doctors" find a cure for kids with cancer. What ensued, despite her deteriorating health, was a personal mission to raise $1 million.

"When Alex told us that she was going to raise one million dollars, we weren't sure how to respond," said Liz Scott. "She was a little girl with a big dream. Here we are eight years after we hung the first lemonade sign outside of our home, and Applebee's is donating $1 million to her cause. It's amazing, and we are extraordinarily grateful for their support."

With the help of corporate sponsors and thousands of individual lemonade stands nationwide, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation has funded over 80 research projects at 40 institutions across the country -- many in Applebee's restaurants' communities.

"The goal of Applebee's is to provide a fun and friendly atmosphere where family, friends, and neighbors can come together," said Harry Rose. "Nothing speaks louder to this commitment than when we connect with our restaurant guests and work together towards a better tomorrow for our neighbors."

Statistically, pediatric cancer is something most communities can relate to. On average, one in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer and the average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients. What's more, one in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of 20, and on average 36 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer everyday inthe United States.

"Alex's Lemonade Stand won't stop until there is a cure for this devastating disease," added Harry Rose. "And we will continue to support them in their efforts to fund new research, treatments, hopes and dreams for the millions of children, just like Alex."

SOURCE The Rose Group

Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,HEA,RST,BFA,CSR,CHI,PA-ApplebeeCancerFund