JOEANNA’S HOUSE
MAKING LEMONADE
Good Lemonade Day presenting sponsor, Laing Service + Maintenance, set up their lemonade stand at JoeAnna’s House
There’s something truly magical, maybe even nostalgic, about a cold, refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot, Okanagan summer day. The only thing that can beat that first sip is the sweetness of knowing it’s for a worthy cause.
On a sun-kissed Saturday in June 2022, the inaugural Good Lemonade Day was held in support of JoeAnna’s House. Families from nooks and Cranbrooks across the province joined together to host more than seventy lemonade stands in fifteen different communities.
The sell was a simple and compelling one – a glass of lemonade in support of JoeAnna’s House, a home away from home for the families of patients from across the Southern Interior of BC who require advanced care at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). The promise: to keep families together when they need it most.
The inaugural Good Lemonade Day proved to be an overwhelming success, raising over $17,000 for JoeAnna’s House. This remarkable achievement fueled the anticipation for the sophomore event in 2023, where even more families and communities across the region pledged their support.
“Family is everything to us, so supporting a cause centred on keeping families together during some of their most difficult times was an easy decision,” shares Brandi Ripel, a parent of one of the participating families in Salmon Arm, BC. “Being able to spread the word about JoeAnna’s House while selling lemonade was such a fun and easy way to get the kids involved and excited about helping others.”
It was a wonderful display of families supporting families and everyone embraced the opportunity to be part of this community collaboration. Lemonade stands became gathering spots for connection and inspiration.
Taylor, a young girl on the autism spectrum, eagerly embraced the opportunity to run her own lemonade stand. With her mother’s support, she set up shop in their Kelowna neighbourhood. Taylor cherished the freedom to manage her own lemonade stand, serving refreshing beverages and collecting donations from grateful passers-by. The experience was so fulfilling, Taylor expanded her efforts, setting up a second location at her residence to collect more donations. “It feels really special to be part of a huge multi-city event supporting such a great cause,” shared Taylor’s mom, Hailey.
“It’s not just about lemonade,” says Amy Nunn, Good Lemonade Day Committee Member and VP of Sales and Marketing for Prestige Hotels & Resorts. “It’s about community, teaching our kids that the hardships of others matter and that there is always something we can do to help. That when life gives you lemons, you can always make lemonade.”
The Prestige Harbourfont Resort in Sooke, BC.
Prestige Hotels & Resorts is another major supporter of Good Lemonade Day and had stands at their hotels across the province.
