Humboldt Lemonade Day Results Released -- Local kids and teens earned more than $6,000 total

Aug. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- Arcata, Calif. -- The results are now in from Humboldt Lemonade Day on June 2 and a total of 256 young entrepreneurs learned what it takes to start a business by opening lemonade stands and many opted to give back to their community.

Of the nearly 60 stands that were opened in Humboldt County on lemonade day, local youth sold more than 3,100 cups of lemonade and earned an estimated $6,125 with a net profit of $3,695, according to the National Lemonade Day report released just recently. The event is part of a national fun and experiential learning program that teaches kids and teens how to start, own and operate their own business using a classic American example: the lemonade stand.

While this was definitely a boost to the kids’ summer funds, nearly half the total profits countywide were donated to a good cause. About 77 percent of the participating kids decided to donate a portion of their profits, for an estimated total of $1,691.

Where did the money go? A few of the nonprofits and other organizations that Humboldt County kids donated to included Crabs Baseball, the American Cancer Society, Redwood Pals Rescue, Food for People, Sequoia Humane Society, St. Jude's Children’s Hospital, and the Alice Birney After School Bike Team.

Additionally, 77 percent of the participating youth were able to repay the investors who helped make their lemonade stands possible.

Lemonade Day coordinator Susan Seaman said this unique opportunity gives kids and families a chance to work together toward something positive and to talk about money, hard work and saving.

“We continue to be proud of how these entrepreneurs work hard to make their stands possible and that so many wanted to give back to the community,” Seaman said. “And the real joy from Lemonade Day comes from talking to participants and hearing their stories.”

Lemonade Day is one of several young entrepreneurship programs in Humboldt County, including Economic Fuel, for college-aged students, the Young Entrepreneur Program, for high school and college students, the Young Entrepreneur Business Challenge for high school students, Crafting Up Business for middle school students, and Junior Achievement for middle school students. Entrepreneurship is an area of focus as part of the county-wide Decade of Difference Initiative.

Humboldt Lemonade Day is a part of the National Lemonade Day program (http://lemonadeday.org/) and it is locally organized by the Arcata Economic Development Corporation (http://www.aedc1.org/). Since it began with one Texas community in 2007, Lemonade Day is now in 31 cities across both America and Canada.

Strategic eMarketing assisted with the internet marketing Humboldt County (http://strategicemarketing.com/)-wide.

About Arcata Economic Development Corporation:
AEDC helps businesses meet the challenge of acquiring capital and re-financing that can help them fulfill their dreams of launching a new enterprise or expanding an existing business to the next level. For more than 30 years, AEDC has loaned over $47 million to local businesses that have helped entrepreneurs grow with the community.