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Pennies spent at a child’s lemonade stand can go a long way — not just for eight-year-old Jack Yeilding, but lots of other children who need miracles. Saturday, May 28 will be the fifth edition of  Jack’s Lemonade Stand. The fundraiser that began as a simple driveway lemonade stand run by Jack, an Oakville boy with intractable epilepsy, has raised more than $225,000 for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.

Even more amazing is the epilepsy that threatened Jack’s life was eliminated less than two years ago by brain surgery at the hospital. This year’s event promises to be as much fun as its predecessors with a special guest this year being a tiger.

The fundraiser, in support of the Hospital for Sick Children, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pine Glen Park on Third Line — rain or shine. Originally hosted at Jack’s home, the event has now moved to the park to accommodate all it has to offer.

“Jack has had his miracle, but we need lots of donations for miracles for a lot of other kids,” said Jack’s mom, Jodi Yeilding. It’s a standing joke that while Jack will accept change from children at his lemonade stand, he also takes Visa and Mastercard.

An investment in kids who need a miracle doesn’t go without gratitude, however, and this year’s Jack’s Lemonade Stand event will offer  face painting, a barbecue, a petting zoo, the tiger, a bouncy castle, a firetruck and Sparky, the fire dog, Home Depot kids’ workshop — even a visit from comedian/stuntman, The Fire Guy.

The event and its stations will open at 9 a.m. Opening remarks will be made at 10:15 a.m. by  Mayor Rob Burton, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, a doctor from SickKids, Jodi and Jack.

The Fire Show will take place at 10:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., there will be a YMCA parachute game. The sounds of the live band will kick in at 11:30 a.m. followed by a barbecue at noon. There will be a prize draw at 1 p.m. and the Olive Press Spaghetti Eating Contest finale at 1:30 p.m.

Not exactly what you expect from a child’s lemonade stand. Then again, Jack, who had intractable epilepsy and 17 months ago underwent a trio of brain surgeries to cure it, is not what you expect from an eight-year-old boy. His mom Jodi knows different — on both counts. “Why can’t I go in the bouncy castle? The other kids get to,” complains Jack as he and his five-year-old brother Christopher prepare for the event and count the sleeps until it arrives. “For them, it’s like Christmas,” said Jodi.

After years of struggling with epilepsy — in so severe a form that Jack could easily have 50 seizures a day and was a frequent visitor to the Hospital for Sick Children — the arrival of the carnival-like fundraiser is a celebration this year for the Oakville family.

It’s been nearly 18 months after brain surgery put an end to Jack’s seizures. In January 2010, Jack had a series of three brain surgeries (one an emergency procedure), had his brain mapped to explore the area in which the seizures were triggered and had that portion of his brain removed. He has since been healthy and seizure-free. “His recovery is a miracle and he now gets to enjoy life like a regular kid,” said Jodi. That is except for the bouncy castle. His doctors advise against that activity.

Since 2007, Jack has been on a mission to help other kids at Sick Kids by selling lemonade. And the event keeps growing. Jack’s Lemonade Stand is well known in Oakville, as is its motto, to make sick kids better, one cup at a time. Sporting a Jack’s Lemonade Stand T-shirt that reads, “Be brave, be true, be special, be you,” Jack and Christopher practice pouring lemonade. Jack is not sure he won’t spill it, but tackles the job successfully.

It’s a big accomplishment as little more than a year ago, he had to learn to do everything all over again — walking, talking and more. After his surgeries, there were weeks of rehabilitation to learn how to walk and talk all over again, and then finally a homecoming after 67 days. Some lost hair and nasty scarring was an easy trade off.

The surgery was Jack’s best hope for a cure. “His recovery is beyond anything we could have dreamed of,” said Jodi. “Do you know how many times we were told he wouldn’t be here when he was eight?” said Jodi through tears. Then it’s back to business…miracles for other kids.

Christopher will be in charge of handing out 1,000 Timbits at Christopher’s Snack Ship. David Mondragon, president of Ford of Canada, has thrown his company’s weight behind the event and his own.

“He and his family will be out to help pour lemonade,” said Jodi. While corporate sponsorship is great, Jodi said she also asks people to get involved personally. “Kids need to be supported and loved and have people believe in them,” said Jodi. “How can you say no when you’re looking at a miracle?” she asked.

For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.jackslemonade.com.

 

Source – Angela Blackburn – Oakville Beaver – insidehalton.com

25/05/2011 – Article posted by Ryan Crane, an Oakville Real Estate agent that works throughout the GTA and specializes in the Milton, Burlington, Mississauga, and Oakville Real Estate markets. You can find him at www.oakvillerealestate4sale.ca

Oakville Real Estate Agents website was created to provide access to all Oakville MLS Listings for all Oakville Homes for Sale plus Oakville Sold Prices.

Tags: Oakville Real Estate, Oakville Homes for Sale, Oakville MLS Listings, Oakville Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Outlook
 

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