Chris James/Pioneer
OCCC President, Dr. Paul Sechrist, waits for the first cup of lemonade from Alex’s Lemonade Stand on June 27 in front of OCCC’s main entrance. The lemonade had no set cost, but donations were accepted. Donations go to the Alex’s Lemonade foundation to help find a cure for childhood cancer.

Children enrolled in this summer’s College for Kids program are getting a chance to make a difference in the community via a class called Giving Back, said Paul Burkhardt, OCCC Community Outreach coordinator.

Burkhardt said the class is designed to teach kids about their communities and, as the class title implies, giving back. A first session is about to end and a second one is scheduled for July 9 through 13, he said.

Burkhardt said the focus of the class will be for the students to “build character and give back to their communities.”

“Kids will learn many elements of fundraising,” he said. “The students can take what they learn and apply it.”

Burkhardt said the students enrolled in the class also will learn about hardships in life — specifically how children cope with cancer. After the students attend the class they will be responsible for using the skills they have been taught to fundraise, plan and promote Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

According to www.alexslemonade.org, “Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope.”

The seventh and eighth grade students from the first class manned two lemonade stands on June 28 — one outside of the Main Building and one at the FACE Center.

Fifth and and sixth grade students can still enroll in the second session, said Community Education Coordinator Brannon Dresel.

The class is from Monday, July 9 through Thursday, July 12, he said, with the students from that class leaving the classroom to sell lemonade on July 12.

Again, there will be two stands — one from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12, outside of the Main Building, and one from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the same day at the FACE Center.

OCCC students and the community are encouraged to stop by the lemonade stand to get a drink and make a donation.

“There is not a price,” Burkhardt said. “We accept cash and credit card donations.”

Students can enroll in the second session of the Giving Back class by calling Community Education Coordinator Brannon Dresel at 405-682-7859.

Classes are held at the Family and Community Education Center, 6500 S. Land Ave. in Oklahoma City, just south of OCCC.

For more information about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation or to enroll in College for Kids classes, contact Dresel at bdresel@occc.edu.

To contact Emily Schorr, email seniorwriter@occc.edu.