April 8, 2011 – Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle launched a new program for youth in the Greater Omaha Metropolitan Area today called Lemonade Day. Omaha Metro Lemonade Day, to be held on Sunday, May 1, is a free, community-wide program dedicated to teaching children how to start, own, and operate their own business through the simple and time-honored act of building and running a lemonade stand.
Lemonade Day is a program of Omaha Serves, the city’s initiative to increase citizen engagement to address urgent community needs. One of the city’s priority areas is serving Omaha’s youth and ensuring they have the support and skills necessary to be successful today and in the future. Lemonade Day provides youth with an opportunity to work with a caring adult to develop a business while learning valuable life and job skills.
Participating youth are provided program materials for free including their Lemonade Day back pack, adult, and youth workbooks. These materials have been provided through the generous support of program sponsors: Creighton University College of Business, Building Bright Futures, Midlands Mentoring Partnership, and University of Nebraska Omaha Service Learning Academy.
On Lemonade Day, everyone has a job-either buying or selling lemonade. Citizens across the Omaha Metro Area are encouraged to purchase a cup of lemonade from youth participating in the program, thereby demonstrating the community’s dedication to the future of our youth.
“The Lemonade Day program teaches valuable lessons to the future business leaders of our community,” said Mayor Jim Suttle. “We know the future is our children and we want to build their confidence by teaching them skills to manage a business, earn month, and invest.”
Lemonade Day was born in Houston in 2007, and was inspired by the lessons local entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Holthouse taught his young daughter and her friend when they set up a lemonade stand. Since that time it has grown into a national program which will add an additional 30 cities this year.
Omaha Metro Lemonade Day is presented by Creighton University College of Business, Building Bright Futures, Midlands Mentoring Partnership, and University of Nebraska Omaha Service Learning Academy.
Omaha Metro Lemonade Day community partners are the Greater Omaha Chamber, Silicon Prairie News, Middle School Learning Center, Promise Partners, Omaha Public Libraries, Omaha Parks and Recreation, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha, Omaha Police Department, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, Treynor Elementary, Children’s Square U.S.A., Boy Scouts of America Mid-America Council, Holy Name, Girls Inc., Youth Emergency Services, The Partnership For Our Kids, Omaha Home for Boys, and Omaha Housing Authority.
To sign up or learn about ways that everyone can get involved in Lemonade Day, May 1, 2001, please visit www.omahametro.lemonadeday.org
Mayor Suttle Greeting Two Students from Holy Name School
