Using a Lemonade Stand and Helping Kids Learn about Business

Lilia Mizer and her sister, Josephine, participated in Lemonade Day for the first time last year. The program offers local kids assistance in running their own business.  Participants get a kit that includes a backpack and workbooks for both the youth and their mentor. “My grandma saw the information about Lemonade Day in the paper and thought it might be a good idea.” Lilia explained. Then a local business, Talisman Beads of Eureka, offered to sponsor the Mizers’ stand. The owner, Mary Coor, was a family friend.

“Mary provided bottles so that we could have a zero waste stand,” Lilia explained, “And we had several awesome flavors-regular, cardamom, ginger, lavender, hibiscus.”  The girls, who charged $5 a bottle for their product refunded $2 for each returned container.

The sisters called their business the Thirsty Dog Lemonade Stand and donated a third of the profits to the Sequoia Humane Society. The remaining amount was split between the two sisters.

To learn more, read press release below:

Photos provided by Humboldt County Lemonade Day.

Registration for Humboldt County Lemonade Day 2013 is now open and offers  local youth an opportunity to learn how to start, own and operate their very own business using a lemonade stand.  

Registered participants receive a free kit that comes with a backpack and workbooks for the young entrepreneur and adult mentor. These workbooks guide the youth in setting business goals, establishing a business plan and budget and helping them think through the other steps necessary to operate a successful stand.

 Scrapper’s Edge in Eureka is also offering a free handout to all participants that includes tips and tricks for promoting their lemonade stands.  “This is a really great event that teaches kids a lot of skills they’ll use throughout life,” noted Sondra Kirtley, owner of Scrapper’s Edge and a Lemonade Day business partner. “But the Lemonade Day structure and framework make it so fun that often kids don’t even realize that they’re learning.”

 “We also encourage the kids to ‘save a little, spend a little and share a little..’ with many of our youth doing just that,” added Susan Seaman, Program Coordinator of Humboldt Lemonade Day. In 2012, local youth opened over 55 stands and sold over 3,000 cups of lemonade.  Over 75 percent of those kids donated a percentage of their earnings to charity.

According to Seaman, there are still many ways that local business owners and community members can support young Humboldt County entrepreneurs. Business Owners can sponsor a young entrepreneur and host a Lemonade stand. Non-profit organizations can partner with participants to host a stand and share promotion. “Parents, grandparents, guardians, mentors and teachers can all help our local kids get involved by making sure the child or children in their life are participating,” Seaman said.

Youth can register for Humboldt County Lemonade Day 2013 at www.humboldt.lemonadeday.org and registered youth can pick up their free backpacks at US Bank in Arcata, Eureka (Henderson Center and 5th Street), Fortuna or Ferndale, at the North Coast Prosperity Center (520 E Street, Eureka), or by calling Susan at 822-4616 ext. 12 to arrange a pick up. Tips and tricks for Promoting Lemonade Stands is available at Scrapper’s Edge, 728 4th Street, Eureka.

Local youth and non-profit representatives are also invited to attend a Non-Profit Mixer on April 23, 2013. The event will allow Lemonade Day participants to learn about and partner with local non-profits as part of Lemonade Day 2013.  

The mixer will be from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Humboldt Area Foundation, Bayside. Refreshments will be provided.  For more information or to register for the mixer, please contact Susan Seaman at 707) 822-4616 ext. 12, email [email protected] or

Click HERE to register online. 

Lemonade Day is a joint project of Arcata Economic Development Corporation and Decade of Difference.