Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"

Lemonade Day on the Kenai… “Empowering today’s youth to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs!”

Lemonade Day was June 14th in Kenai and Soldotna, and event that is all about “Empowering today’s youth to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” according to January Yeager, project coordinator for the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce. “The local area saw over 50 stands with themes ranging from Laser Treated Lemonade to a Tiki Stand! More than 80 local youth registered to have a stand and learn all about what it takes to start and run a business. A business workshop was taught by national Lemonade Day sponsor Wells Fargo and also sponsored by Peninsula Community Health Services. A brief food safety session was also presented by JTAK Food Safety. A stand building workshop was hosted and sponsored by Home Depot. Sixteen stands were built by our kids with the help of the awesome Home Depot Staff,” said Yeager.

Lemonade Day was founded by Michael Holthouse in 2007 in Houston, Texas. Michael had a vision to help kids start, own and operate their own business. He wanted to inspire today’s youth to work hard to make a profit and also to save some and share some with their communities. Lemonade Day has grown from having 2700 participants in one city, to well over 150,000 participants in over 36 states and Canada. Michael’s goal is to bring this entrepreneurial experience to a million kids in over 100 cities to empower our youth in a way that has never been done on this scale!

On an activity rich day in June the Soldotna Trustworthy Hardware & Fishing’s parking lot was transformed into a lemonade stand strip mall with four individual stands featuring unique lemonade recipes from Lemonade for Heroes to laser treated drinks, “Laser treated lemonade is where you run your cup down this track and a laser shoots it as it passes by,” explained entrepreneur 8-year-old Emily Moss, whose father helped her develop the concept. Laser lemonade was a dollar seventy five more per cup than Emily’s regular recipe, “The advantages of laser lemonade is that it gives you good luck fishing and makes it taste sweeter, but you can also get laser treated water for just a dollar which is equally lucky for fishing if you don’t like lemonade. It’s guaranteed so if you don’t catch a fish you can come back for a free glass of lemonade,” said Emily. 11-year-old Joshua and his 8-year-old partner Ethan have had their Lemonade for Heroes stand for three years and have learned the business practice of giving back, “We have flavors, cherry, lime, strawberry and mango. We sell a lot of drinks and sugar pops and we call our stand Lemonade for Heroes because we donate half of our proceeds to veterans, Wounded Warriors and the WWII veteran’s museum,” said Joshua. There was nothing sour about the 2014 Lemonade Day in Soldotna and Kenai just the sweet lessons of youth learning about free enterprise and appreciation for those who protect those freedoms.

Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"
Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"
Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"
Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"
Lemonade Day on the Kenai... "Empowering today's youth to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs!"

More in News

Nikiski graduates view their slideshow during a commencement ceremony at Nikiski/Middle High School in Nikiski, Alaska, on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘We need to change the world’

Nikiski Middle/High School graduates 31 on Monday.

State Sen. Lyman Hoffman (D-Bethel) exits the Senate Chambers after the Senate on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, adjourns until next January. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Legislature adjourns a day early in ‘smoothest ending in 20 years’ following months of budget battles

Lawmakers speed through final votes on veto override on education funding bill, budget with $1,000 PFD.

Rep. Andi Story (D-Juneau), Rep. Rebecca Himschoot (I-Sitka), and Rep. Sarah Vance (R-Homer) watch the vote tally during a veto override joint session on an education bill Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Education funding boost stands as lawmakers successfully override Dunleavy veto

Three of the peninsula’s legislators voted to override the veto.

Jeff Dolifka and his children perform the ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula’s Royce and Melba Roberts Campus in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘So proud of what we accomplished’

New Boys and Girls Clubs campus dedicated Saturday with a ribbon-cutting and donor recognition.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill earlier this session at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. He vetoed a second such bill on Monday. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Dunleavy vetoes 2nd bill increasing education funding; override vote by legislators likely Tuesday

Bill passed by 48-11 vote — eight more than needed — but same count for override not certain.

Graduate Paxton McKnight speaks during the graduation ceremony at Cook Inlet Academy near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Beginning a new season of their lives

Cook Inlet Academy graduates seven.

The wreckage of Smokey Bay Air plane N91025 is photographed after residents pulled it from the water before high tide on April 28, 2025, in Nanwalek, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of NTSB)
Preliminary report released on Nanwalek plane crash

The crash killed the pilot and one passenger and left the other passenger seriously injured.

Member Tom Tougas, far right, speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Tourism Industry Working Group in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Tourism working group rejects bed tax, recommends seasonal sales tax adjustment

The document includes a section that says the borough could alternatively leave its tax structure exactly as it is.

The rescued sea otter pup looks at the camera in this undated picture, provided by the Alaska SeaLife Center. (Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
Stranded otter pup rescued from Homer beach

She is estimated to be around 2 months old and was found alone by concerned beach walkers.

Most Read