Lemonade stands are set to spring up around town on Sunday, May 6, as part of Lemonade Day Alaska, an event that educates students about the challenges of entrepreneurship.
The national Lemonade Day started in Texas in 2007 and is “a free, fun, experiential learning program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their own business – a lemonade stand,” according to the website alaska.lemonadeday.org. The program is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Resident Jan Hill is coordinating Lemonade Day in Haines as past president of Southeast Conference. Alaska’s version of Lemonade Day launched in Anchorage last year and has reached Southeast for the first time, she said. Participants can pick up backpacks with entrepreneur workbooks to help with planning at Hill’s bead shop on Main Street.
“I gave out about 14 backpacks,” Hill said. “As far as I can tell, there’s only about four who have actually registered. I’m hopeful that with this last little push that there will be some more interest.”
The workbooks have lessons on budgets, customer service, setting goals and repaying investors. Some of the main topics are financial literacy and economics, college readiness and career, life skills and personal development, and academics.
Hill noted the packets contain a loan document to help launch business.
“If you don’t have enough money in your piggy bank to buy everything to make lemonade, you need to find somebody who will loan you some money,” she said.
When it comes to profits, students are advised to “spend some, save some and share some,” the website says.
Resident Kirsten Amann said her 5-year-old daughter, Pacific Ricke, plans to give money from her lemonade stand to the Haines Borough Public Library.
“Pacific has chosen to donate 25 percent of her proceeds to the Haines Library, specifically for the kids’ reading program,” Amann said. “She adores Holly (Davis) and books.”
Pacific will set up her “loving lemonade stand” at Third Avenue and Old Haines Highway. Her homemade, organic lemonade will sell from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.