‘Lemonade Day’ to teach kids business, responsibility

WASILLA — Paul and Onaleea Belair have quite a plan for their new business.

Adhering to the old adage about being successful in business, the brother and sister team hopes a prime location will mean big profits for their venture.

“We want to set up near a fireworks stand,” Paul said. “My auntie Marie owns a fireworks stand, so we’re hoping to sell there.”

But before Paul, 11, and Onaleea, 9, can open their lemonade stand, they have plenty of work to do. That’s what brought them to The Home Depot on Saturday. The siblings were two of a group of Valley kids investing a little sweat equity in their enterprise by building their own lemonade stands — under the guidance of parents and Home Depot staff.

“I’d say the hardest part is when the nails get missed,” Paul said about his stand, adding it’s even more difficult for his sister. “Hammering is the hardest for her, she can’t get the nail in.”

When up and running around mid-May, Paul said thirsty residents of the west end of the Valley can find their fix for $1 a cup, “and only 75 cents for refills.”

Saturday’s work party was part of a larger Lemonade Day effort for the Mat-Su that uses the hands-on experience of planning, building and executing a lemonade stand as an educational opportunity for youth about the business world, said Terri Lee. A Realtor for Keller Williams, Lee also volunteers in the community and is helping organize Lemonade Day activities. The goal, she said, is to teach the value of hard work and planning.

“I want them to learn that business can be fun and children can have a business and be successful,” she said. “It’s the total ins and outs of running a business. It teaches children to be responsible. They learn how to handle money, how to get investors, how to advertise and how to serve a client. There’s even a profit and loss statement in there if they want to do that or for older teens.”

Participating teachers receive a lesson plan that helps integrate Lemonade Day into the classroom, and local businesses can also get involved by sponsoring lemonade stands for children. Statewide, Lemonade Day (observed the week of May 5-11) is presented by the University of Alaska Anchorage College of Business and Public Policy and the UAA Center for Economic Development. In the Valley, the Frontiersman has also partnered with the effort. That includes listing participating business sponsors in the newspaper and on the Lemonade Day Alaska website.

Like many children growing up, Lee said she tried her hand at fame and fortune by selling lemonade. She said her business wasn’t as organized as Lemonade Day, however.

“I did sell lemonade and that’s why this is so special to do, because of the good memories,” she said. “I think I would’ve done a lot better if I had these tools.”

She also admitted to falling into one of the pitfalls of working in the food service industry — consuming her profits.

“Actually, we probably did half and half,” Lee said of her lemonade stand business model. “We drank half and sold half.”

A few feet from Paul and Onaleea, the Matthew sisters were hard at work building their stand.

Lillian, 10, and Alivia, 9, are serious about making the best stand they can, while 2 ½-year-old sister Gabriella tries to hammer every nail she can get her hands on.

“I’ve had a lemonade stand, but I’ve never made one before,” Lillian said. The siblings will sell “just regular lemonade, or maybe pink lemonade.”

How much will it cost to quench a thirst at her place?

“Well, that’s up to my mom,” Lillian said. “Last year I charged 25 cents and 75 cents.”

Along with not drinking her profits, Lillian said all the girls are learning that running a business “is kind of hard work.”

Helping the kids build their stands was Del Clark, who’s in charge of community projects for The Home Depot, which donated all the lumber and materials to make the stands.

“They’re doing good,” he said of the young workers. “I’ve heard a couple screaming about their fingers getting smashed, but they’re working hard.”

Clark never had a lemonade stand himself, “but I knew some kids who did, but it wasn’t anything like this,” he said. “They just put out a little card table or a cardboard box or something. I think this is a great idea.”

The business lessons that can be learned through something as simple as selling lemonade have already hit home for the Belair kids. Once the sales start rolling in, Paul already has a plan for his share of the profits.

“I’m hoping to raise enough money that I can start a savings account,” he said.

Learn more about Lemonade Day Alaska at alaska.lemonadeday.org.

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

Lemonade Day is a free youth entrepreneurship program for kids ages 5 to 18. Designed to show kids what it’s like to run a business for a day, the program allows youth to keep all they money they earn and are encouraged to save some, spend some and share some. Here are some facts about Lemonade Day Alaska 2012:

• More than 2,500 youth registered.

• Youth sold more than $285,000 worth of lemonade.

• Participants donated $68,000 to local charities.

• 52 percent opened a savings account with some of their profits.

Lemonade Day business partners will be featured on a map of participating lemonade stands across the Valley and in advertising on the Frontiersman website and in print. Also 10 percent of advertising proceeds will be donated to The Children’s Place.

For more information about becoming a partner, contact Terri Lee at 841-2468 or Marty Metiva at 315-9920.