Preparations underway for possibly largest Lemonade Stand Day

Participants pick up their kits for the 2024 Lemonade Stand Day on Aug. 19, 2024. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)

The 2024 Lemonade Stand Day on Sunday will benefit Edmonton's Stollery Pediatric Diabetes Education Centre.

The facility is the only certified insulin pump centre for about 1,300 kids in Edmonton and northern Alberta.

The funds raised on Sunday will be put toward a three-year project improving patient and family experiences at the centre, as well as access to care, and developing diabetes resources for all ages and providers.

"(I feel) like I'm doing something very important with my time," said Jayson Symbaluk, a 12-year-old who not only hosts a stand every year but also sits on the fundraiser's junior committee.

On Monday, he and other participants picked up their stand supplies, T-shirts and swag bags at the Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre.

"It makes me feel proud knowing that I've helped and put in lots of work to help these kids and the Stollery," added another long-time lemonade seller, 13-year-old Jack Hawkins.

Both boys listed receiving treatment at the Stollery as a source of their motivation to give back to the community, but organizer Monita Chapman hopes all participants leave the experience understanding the importance of community building and entrepreneurship.

"Really, we're teaching kids how to host parties in their community, talk to their neighbours, count back change," she told CTV News Edmonton.

"All the money we raise is just the lemon on top of the pile."

As of Monday, there were 620 stands – the most ever – and 2,500 youth registered to participate.

In the 10 years since the inaugural Lemonade Stand Day, the initiative has raised $2.1 million for the Stollery Children's Hospital. There were just 30 lemonade stands in its first year.

A map of all the registered lemonade stands will be visible on the Lemonade Stand Day website on Sunday.