The Beacon

The organization began when the founder, a four-year-old cancer patient Alexandria “Alex” Scott, set up her first lemonade stand. Unlike most kids, the stand was not for the typical gain of buying a Barbie, stuffed animal or other toy. It was to help her doctors find a cure for children suffering from cancer.

This deed was continued each year, despite the fact that Alex’s cancer was progressively worsening her health. In 2004, Alex’s parents took over after she died from the illness four years after the charity was started.

The popularity of the lemonade stands has since grown and now allows anyone on to set up their own “sweet spot” to spread cancer awareness.

Just imagine seeing the child-esque banner proclaiming the selling of lemonade, one automatically feels a sense of childhood euphoria and veers toward the vendor to investigate if the sweet drink is as good as remembered from youth.

The campus lemonade stands, run by the sophomore class and other SGA members including Travis Robinson, John Urban, Jess Pepe, Britney Davis, and Erica Sagaille, raised more than $100 in less than two years. Other students involved were Craig Feuss, Nick DePue, Tony Lambardo and Chris Weiss, who suggested $1 donations.

Money raised goes toward cancer research.

The stands can be registered on www.alexslemonade.org. Donations can be sent through other methods listed on the Web site.

Pepe, sophomore class vice president, said she felt a connection with this particular organization after helping to raise money for the group a few years earlier while a member of the Key Club.
"The story of Alex makes you want to donate in her memory. It's incredible that a four-year-old can start something this huge," said Pepe. She is planning to set up a table in the beginning of May through the non-SGA Honor's College Club.

Robinson, the SGA treasurer, said, "I think it's really important for college students to do something that's not self-centered."

Feuss, who assisted at the table, said, “It just feels good to work on something so selfless and kind."

One reason for inequality is the dichotomy of “winners and losers” in the world that provides us with economic, social and military insecurity, said Hempel, noting his experiences in those worlds.

“We are on our way to prosperity for all,” Hempel said, adding that he saw “an increasing amount of inequality toward women and people of color.” A slide show projected on a large screen depicted 20 miles of shanty towns and statistics of millions of people living in chronic hunger.

“Speed is irrelevant if you are going in the wrong direction,” Hempel said.
“The monetary cost of the Iraq War is part of that wrong direction. When all related expenses, including recruitment, veteran’s affairs, and medical treatment are considered, the war cost $1.1 trillion in military and military related expenses.”

“What could you do with just 25 percent of that money?” he asked.

Peter Juviler, senior scholar and professor of political science at Columbia University also spoke about U.S. foreign policy. He discussed Northern Iraq in 1988 and “the costs of non-action.”

During that time, Saddam Hussein launched chemical attacks on 40 villages, killing thousands of Kurdish. Juviler termed the U.S.’s failure to act “misprevention.”

Panelist and author Dr. Balmurli Natrajan, criticized American foreign policy in Iraq and encouraged students to fight indifference. He saw flyers on campus and commended students for raising awareness of the genocide in Darfur. He said the death total in Iraq, which has surpassed 4,000, would make a significant impact on students’ perceptions of the war.

“The idea of the symposium was to discuss topics which students will want to talk about,” said Dr. Michael Principe, event co-sponsor and political science professor.

“Disparity means inefficiency,” said Dr. Guiliana Campanelli, university professor of economics who spoke as part of a panel discussion.

“Students will want to know that it is in their best interest to cultivate a middle class that American business can sell,” she said.

Lisa Baron, who attended the afternoon panel discussion for pre-law class, said she was particularly impressed by Hempel’s presentation because of “the idea of empathy [it portrayed] especially in humanitarian issues.”