
Courtesy of Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation
Get your ice-cold lemonade!
The warmer weather and sunshine-filled days signal the return of summer and the fifth annual Cardel Homes Lemonade Standemonium fundraiser.
Presented by Palladium Insurance, the Lemonade Standemonium is the biggest lemonade stand fundraiser in our community. Hundreds of families join in the fun and host lemonade stands on or before June 3, with the proceeds supporting the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.
“It’s so much fun – and something we look forward to doing every year,” explains nine-year-old Connor Bain. Connor, along with his 13-year-old sister Mackenzie, came up with the idea for the Lemonade Standemonium five years ago after a family member was diagnosed with cancer.
“We wanted to do something that could help other families who were going through the same thing,” says Mackenzie. “We decided a lemonade stand was something that kids could do – and it would get people talking about cancer and how they could make a difference.”

Courtesy of Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation
And boy has it made a difference! Over the last four years, thousands of glasses of lemonade have been sold and more than $280,000 raised for the Cancer Foundation. The proceeds have supported cancer research and cancer care programs in our community.
The Barry family is forever grateful for the fundraising efforts of the Lemonade Standemonium participants after cancer turned their world upside down. At the age of 41, Andria Barry was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. For the mother of two, the diagnosis came as a complete shock.
“I went in for a regular screening and that’s when they found the cancer. I didn’t even know I was sick.”
Andria wanted to do everything she could to protect her young children from the realities of the disease. She searched for resources they could use while she was undergoing her treatment – and that’s when she discovered the Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Coaching service they offered.
“I knew that if I didn’t give my kids an outlet or resources to go to they would break,” she explains. “I had to find something that would help Aidan while I was in the hospital and incapacitated – and thankfully I found Cancer Coaching and the kid-friendly CLIMB program.”
Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery is a group program developed by the Children’s Treehouse Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the emotional support of children who have parents or a loved one living with cancer.
The six-week CLIMB program offered by the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation helps children identify and express their feelings in a safe and comforting environment.
Andria registered Aidan for CLIMB and within a couple of weeks, she noticed big changes in his attitude and outlook on life. She found he was not only better able to express himself, but was becoming more positive about the future. In fact, he looked forward to every CLIMB session and found comfort in talking with other children who were dealing with a similar situation.
“I wanted Aidan to have the resources to be able to vent how he was feeling while I was in the hospital – and I wanted him to see that other people were going through this and that there was life after diagnosis. That there was living with cancer, and that he didn’t have to feel alone. And CLIMB did that in every way.”
You can help provide important programs like CLIMB to families like the Barrys by taking part in the Lemonade Standemonium. All proceeds are directed to lifesaving cancer research and Cancer Coaching through the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.
When life gives you lemons – do something awesome! Register your lemonade stand today at www.ottawacancer.ca/lemonade. And you can watch Aidan’s story online at ottawacancer.ca/Aidan.
How the Lemonade Standemonium campaign works
STEP 1
Teams and individuals register their lemonade stand at www.ottawacancer.ca/lemonade and fundraise online, with the help of family and friends, and by hosting mini-events in their community.
STEP 2
Kids host their lemonade stand ON OR BEFORE event day, Saturday, June 3. Prizes are awarded for various levels of participation (see website for details).
STEP 3
On Sunday, June 4, participants drop off the funds they have raised at the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (1500 Alta Vista Dr.) and celebrate their achievements as part of National Cancer Survivors Day!
By taking part in the Lemonade Standemonium, kids learn about:
- Philanthropy
- Marketing and promotion
- Business development
- Teamwork/cooperation
As an official member of Lemonade Standemonium, kids receive:
- Individual fundraising web page
- Team fundraising web page
- Official Lemonade Standemonium T-shirt
- Letter of request for hosting a stand
- Letter of support for donations to your stand
- Thank-you card