THOROLD, ON - July 28, 2025 -  The sweetest event of the summer is serving up a super-size amount of good news for children in Niagara. Mountainview LemonAID Day for FACS Niagara raised more than $92,000 for the agency’s summer camp program. With this generous support FACS expects to provide more than 400 children it serves with an estimated 600 weeks of summer camp.

Ninety-five teams registered to host lemonade stands across the community on Saturday, June 7. Stands appeared at local businesses, community and sporting events, and at the homes of participating families.

“All kids deserve to have the chance to enjoy summer and experience everything summer camp has to offer,” said Rhianon Burkholder, Foundation Board Chair. “We’re grateful to everyone who participated and donated so kids served by FACS would have an equitable opportunity to go to summer camp.”

Children benefitting from this fundraiser may attend day camps within the Niagara region, or overnight camps outside of the region. “We have also been creative in tailoring these experiences according to the interests of the child. Children have attended dance lessons, horse camp, or a variety of other specialized camps. Each year, we receive so many notes and drawings from children telling us about the wonderful summer they had, which is so heartwarming,” said Anna Bozza, FACS Niagara Chief Executive Officer.

“Building strong communities should always be at the forefront and part of this is coming together for events like Mountainview LemonAID Day,” says Mark Basciano, President of Mountainview Building Group. “We are so happy to be a part of this initiative and are proud to do our part in making a meaningful impact on the community and lives of children.”

Thanks to the generosity of the event’s title sponsor, Mountainview Building Group, families can participate at zero cost, as Mountainview provides participants with everything they need to host a lemonade stand. As a result, all the proceeds raised from each lemonade stand helps to make summer special for kids served by FACS Niagara. Special thanks to Chris Riediger and Mike Sheridan, owners of the Tim Hortons at 170 Fourth Ave. in St. Catharines for providing the lemonade concentrate for each stand.

Congratulations to six-year-old Xavier and family for being this year’s top fundraiser. Their stand, the Citrus Twists, raised more than $4,200.  

Thank you to all other sponsors for supporting Mountainview LemonAID Day including Alectra Utilities, Cotton Inc., Eleven Eleven Real Estate Services, Fonthill Lumber, and SilverLine Group Inc.

Planning for next year’s Mountainview LemonAID Day is already underway as the FACS Niagara Foundation looks to build on the success of this year’s event.

Contact:

Brett Sweeney, Director of Communications and Community Engagement

Family and Children’s Services Niagara

905.937.7731 ext. 3730

brett.sweeney@facsniagara.on.ca