REFI Thanks Volunteers for Making a Lot of Lemonade

Photos and information submitted by Janet Wendelken

A HUGE thank you to the 132 volunteers who worked this year’s Lemonade Stand for the Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc.

The Lemonade Stand is a fixture at the Cross Keys – Mill Creek Ruritan Chicken Shack and a long-standing partnership between the Ruritans and the REFI. REFI thanks Gerry Beam, a member of the Ruritans and a member of the REFI Board, for his support in this partnership. We appreciate the Cross Keys-Mill Creek Ruritans for being a corporate sponsor for the foundation for years.

More than 78,000 people attended the  2011 Rockingham County Fair. If you volunteered for the lemonade stand, I know you thought most everyone of them bought at least one lemonade, smoothie drink, and root beer float. Do you still feel sticky?

As a preliminary report, we believe the volunteers at the  Lemonade Stand made about 5,300 cups of lemonade during the fair. That averages to about 866 lemonades made each day of the fair, and 87 lemonades were made each hour of the fair … more than a one lemonade every minute. Now, we have to pay for the lemons, sugar, cups, ice, and all the other ingredients. Then we will know how much money was raised for the educational foundation.

All funds raised will support the core programs of REFI:  Innovative Idea Grants, Teacher Recognition, Early Literacy and Learning Support, Scholarships and Teacher Supply Depot.

Thanks to all who volunteered to help and who purchased lemonade. This could not have happened without your help. We know the fair took place during one of the busiest weeks of the Rockingham County Public Schools.

This is one of the best years ever for the Lemonade Stand at the fair! Our wonderful volunteers made it happen, all for education!