Alexis and Harrison Geller with mom and fellow Team Fox member, Jennifer
Name: Alexis & Harrison Geller
Hometown: New York, NY
Connection to Parkinson’s disease: Grandmother has Parkinson’s
Team Fox: Tell us about your event, Lemonade & Cookies for Team Fox!
Alexis & Harrison: On April 7th, we had a few friends join us in hosting a lemonade & cookie stand that was held concurrently with [our mother’s] 2ndAnnual Spin for Parkinson’s event. The lemonade stand was set up outside of Fly Wheel on the Upper West Side of NYC and [we] raised $424. (Alexis and Harrison’s mother, Team Fox member Jennifer Geller, and her friend Rachel Spielman raised over $27,000 through their 2nd Annual Spin for Parkinson’s!)
TF: What was your inspiration to fundraise with Team Fox?
A&H: [Our] inspiration to fundraise with Team Fox was our [grandmother], Lois, who is a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Lois is 69 years old and was diagnosed with PD about 15 years ago. It has been hard to watch the affects PD has had on her quality of life and to observe the challenges she experiences with mobility and performing simple tasks that most of us take for granted. [We] want to help raise the money necessary to find a cure for this terrible, debilitating disease that affects so many people.
TF: What was the best part of your event? What went particularly well?
A&H: We were very lucky because it was one of the first beautiful spring days in NYC and Columbus Avenue was bustling with people. [We] had made signs for the lemonade stand that indicated that all proceeds were going to Team Fox and were all wearing Team Fox tee shirts. The best part of the day was realizing that New Yorkers are amazing people. Countless people stopped at the lemonade stand and either bought lemonade and/or cookies and many people made straight out donations (several people gave $20 bills and told [us] to 'keep up the good work'). What was also incredible was the support and encouragement that all of these people were giving, which made [us] feel really good about what [we] were doing in support of Team Fox.
TF: What was your biggest lesson learned? What would you have done differently?
A&H: The biggest lesson we learned was that it was SO easy to have fun while supporting such a great cause. All you need is lemonade, cookies and a lot of enthusiasm-- a busy street and good weather doesn’t hurt though!
TF: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone hosting a similar event?
A&H: The best advice we would give someone hosting a lemonade stand is to let the kids really make it their own. The kids has so much fun making the signs and getting the items needed for the lemonade stand and they had even more fun soliciting people and selling the lemonade and cookies. It taught them that they could have fun while being entrepreneurial, industrious and charitable.
TF: Favorite summer treat?
A&H: That's easy --- lemonade and cookies!
TF: Is there anything else you’d like to share? A fun moment or a touching anecdote?
A&H: The best customer of the day was [actor] MATT DILLON! Only in New York…
Congrats to Alexis & Harrison on a hugely successful event and for sharing some insider tips! Interested in hosting a lemonade stand in your area this summer? Check out the Team Fox Summer Series for a step-by-step guide, event ideas and helpful tips!
