Rita's Water Ice Raises $530,000 for Pediatric Cancer Research During July 2007

30/08/07 Rita's Water Ice, the nation's largest Italian Ice concept, announced that the company has raised $530,000 for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) during its signature paper lemon fundraiser. Following the company's $510,000 donation, made in summer 2006, Rita's Water Ice has now raised more than $1 million for the foundation, which actively funds pediatric cancer research across the United States.

Throughout the month of July 2007, more than 470 Rita's Water Ice franchisees sold paper lemons at each of their locations to raise money for the charity. Each Rita's customer had the opportunity to personalize his/her lemon and then post it on a "Wall of Hope" to demonstrate the local community's collective support for Alex's Lemonade Stand.

Rita's first joined forces with ALSF in July 2006. The foundation was humbly established in the summer of 2000, when four-year-old cancer patient, Alexandra "Alex" Scott, began a quest with her front yard lemonade stand to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Despite her deteriorating health, Alex continued to hold annual lemonade stands until her untimely passing in 2004. Alex's spirit and determination gave birth to a nationwide fundraising movement, which has realized more than $13 million in donations to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

"We are extremely proud of what our guests, partners and company have achieved for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation," said Jim Rudolph, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Rita's Water Ice. "When we partnered with this inspiring organization last year, we never imagined that we could raise so much in such a short period of time. We are pleased to be able to make a significant contribution to this important cause, and look forward to supporting Alex's for years to come."

In addition to the donation in honor of the late Alex Scott, Rita's Water Ice officially renamed its lemon ice flavor to "Alex's Lemonade" in 2006. Lemon, one of Rita's two original flavor offerings when it opened in 1984, is one of the company's five most popular flavors.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have a committed partner like Rita's Water Ice," said Jay Scott, Alex's father and executive director of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. "With the support of Rita's, its partners and its guests, we can continue to move towards our goal of finding a cure for all children with cancer."