TREVOSE, Pa. — Italian Ice concept Rita's Water Ice has raised $530,000 for the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation during its paper lemon fundraiser in July 2007, the company announced. Rita's Water Ice now has raised more than $1 million for the foundation, which actively funds pediatric cancer research across the United States. Rita's Water Ice is the first corporate sponsor to reach the $1 million mark. In July, more than 470 Rita's Water Ice franchisees sold paper lemons to raise money for the charity. Each Rita's customer could personalize a lemon and post it on a "Wall of Hope."
Rita's joined forces with ALSF in July 2006. The foundation was established in the summer of 2000, when 4-year-old cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott began a front-yard lemonade stand to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Despite her deteriorating health, Alex continued to hold annual lemonade stands until her death in 2004.
