Fighting cancer, one glass at a time
May. 29, 2013 @ 06:23 PM
Sonny Hedgecock
Susie Altizer, teacher at Montlieu Academy, passes out lemonade to students.
HIGH POINT —
Customers waited patiently in the hot sun as five well-mannered children took orders for a glass of lemonade.
The customers, also children, were huddled in front of a busy lemonade stand on the front lawn of Montlieu Academy this week.
Manning the stand were students from Montlieu teacher Susie Altizer’s autism class.
“Fifty cents, please,” could be heard echoing from the stand.
Altizer is a 30-year veteran special education teacher, currently teaching children with autism at Montlieu Academy. Altizer’s autism class holds two fundraising projects a year for deserving organizations, and this fundraiser was an exceptionally special one because of Altizer’s grandson, Ryan.
Ryan, 7, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2012.
“Ryan is the bravest little guy I have ever known, and he is certainly my hero. I want to do all I can to help Ryan get well and stay well ... cancer free,” Altizer said.
The fundraiser serves three purposes. It gives awareness and money to cancer research.
“I want to bring awareness to the students in my school as well as adults that tragic illnesses like cancer can strike any of us and with prayer and support and research ... a cure is sure to come,” Altizer said.
It also benefits as a service learning project for the kindergarten-through-second-grade autistic children in her class. A project like this teaches them to be selfless, and this is a way to start teaching them about helping others.
“It gives them an opportunity to practice their social skills, language and communication skills, and math skills. It teaches them empathy, helpfulness and compassion for others,” Altizer said.
Altizer’s selfless project was born from the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which started from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott of Manchester, Conn.
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. In 2000, 4-year-old Alex told her parents 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 has emerged into a national fundraising movement with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. Alex lost her battle with cancer in 2004. Her foundation has raised more than $60 million for cancer research.
“Childhood cancer seems to affect so many children more and more. It seems that childhood cancer research does not receive as much funding as other types of cancer research. Let’s drink lots of lemonade, in an effort to find a cure,” Altizer said.
If you want to donate to further children’s cancer research on behalf of Susie Altizer’s class lemonade stand go to www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/111273 or www.alexslemonade.org.
Manning the stand were students from Montlieu teacher Susie Altizer’s autism class.
“Fifty cents, please,” could be heard echoing from the stand.
Altizer is a 30-year veteran special education teacher, currently teaching children with autism at Montlieu Academy. Altizer’s autism class holds two fundraising projects a year for deserving organizations, and this fundraiser was an exceptionally special one because of Altizer’s grandson, Ryan.
Ryan, 7, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2012.
“Ryan is the bravest little guy I have ever known, and he is certainly my hero. I want to do all I can to help Ryan get well and stay well ... cancer free,” Altizer said.
The fundraiser serves three purposes. It gives awareness and money to cancer research.
“I want to bring awareness to the students in my school as well as adults that tragic illnesses like cancer can strike any of us and with prayer and support and research ... a cure is sure to come,” Altizer said.
It also benefits as a service learning project for the kindergarten-through-second-grade autistic children in her class. A project like this teaches them to be selfless, and this is a way to start teaching them about helping others.
“It gives them an opportunity to practice their social skills, language and communication skills, and math skills. It teaches them empathy, helpfulness and compassion for others,” Altizer said.
Altizer’s selfless project was born from the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which started from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott of Manchester, Conn.
Shortly before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. In 2000, 4-year-old Alex told her parents 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 has emerged into a national fundraising movement with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. Alex lost her battle with cancer in 2004. Her foundation has raised more than $60 million for cancer research.
“Childhood cancer seems to affect so many children more and more. It seems that childhood cancer research does not receive as much funding as other types of cancer research. Let’s drink lots of lemonade, in an effort to find a cure,” Altizer said.
If you want to donate to further children’s cancer research on behalf of Susie Altizer’s class lemonade stand go to www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/111273 or www.alexslemonade.org.
On the web
Altizer’s Class Lemonade Stand: www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/111273
Altizer’s Class Lemonade Stand: www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/111273
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer: www.alexslemonade.org
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