2nd annual Lemonade Stand Fundraiser a success

Damon Myers of Canyon Hills purchased $125 in raffle tickets at the Lemonade Stand Fundraiser and won an Aqua Lily Pad. Julian and her brother Gavin presented Damon with his prize. Photo provided by Cara Garcia

The 2nd annual Lemonade Stand Fundraiser held at the north ski area on Saturday raised more than $1,500. The event was hosted by the Garcia family to raise awareness for childhood cancer and to raise money for Create a Smile, a non-profit organization with a mission to inspire children one smile at a time by offering gifts to those who have been diagnosed with cancer and are undergoing treatment in order to enhance and ease their quality of life.

Among those who supported the fundraiser were residents who are battling cancer, lost a loved one to cancer, or know someone who is fighting the disease.

“A gentleman who is battling cancer and lost his wife to cancer in the 1990s stopped by with the article from The Friday Flyer and an article about his wife from 1990,” said Cara Garcia. “A mom whose son had the same cancer as my daughter stopped by to donate and share that her son is now 27 and doing well.”

Lynne Clarke donated all the proceeds from the sale of the snow cones she sold at the Wakeboard Club’s Learn to Ride Day. The Sports Stop and Canyon Cowboy were among the local businesses that made monetary donations. Damon Myers of Canyon Hills purchased $125 in raffle tickets and an  Aqua Lily Pad.

Cara and Jorge Garcia are no strangers to childhood cancer. In 2015, their daughter Juliana was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumor following a wellness check-up when she was three years old.

Four days after being diagnosed, Juliana had her left kidney and the tumor attached to it removed. Following surgery, Juliana received six months of chemotherapy in order to reduce the chance of recurrence. She will continue to have scans every four months until the age of seven to make sure her cancer hasn’t returned.

Cara and Jorge would like to thank the community for its support and those who donated items for the raffle.

“Our family is overwhelmed by the amount of support and love felt by the Canyon Lake community,” said Cara. “We can’t wait to have another fundraiser next year for another deserving organization.”

Those who were unable to attend the fundraiser but wish to make a donation can do so at createsmiles.org.