Something we believe in – all year long
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex and her lemonade stands first caught the attention of Volvo in 2002 when she received an inaugural Volvo for life Award nomination. The awards program honored hometown heroes doing extraordinary things in their communities. Alex’s determination and unwavering support for pediatric cancer research earned her a Volvo for life Award at the 2003 ceremony in New York City. Despite her deteriorating health, Alex continued to raise money through her stands.
In 2004, Alex set a remarkable goal: call upon the nation to raise $1 million to fight pediatric cancer before the year’s end. Sadly, Alex died Aug. 1 at the age of 8, having raised an amazing $700,000, but with the knowledge that Volvo would help her reach her $1 million goal. The company’s employees and retailers did so in October of that year by selling lemonade.
By the end of 2004, one little girl had made a world of difference, raising $1.5 million. Since then, Volvo has shown unwavering support of ALSF, helping to keep the inspiration and legacy of Alex alive. To date, ALSF has raised more than $35 million.
I had the honor of meeting Alex years ago.
When Alex received her Volvo for Life Award, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Amazing how little children, with their very clear understanding of right and wrong, sense an ability to do something that benefits others.
Please, visit www.lemonadestandforlife.com and buy a few cups of promise for a child in need this holiday season.
From all your friends at Volvo.
dan
Posted in Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, Awards | Comments OffTeacher of the Year – Volvo of Charleston
Working here, there is an underlying feeling that what we do helps people. We support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (https://www.alexslemonade.org/), and have since almost day one. Many of our dealerships support local organizations helping to spread the Volvo feeling into other parts of people’s lives.
Teachers are special people. I think they chose their career because it is their way of helping people, they certainly didn’t chose teaching to get rich. We all have one special teacher that changed something in us, turned on a switch into something wonderful, and hopefully helped us in our life journey.
Congratulations to Volvo of Charleston for recognizing just such a person. Here is her story:
Volvo of Charleston is maximizing a way to acknowledge outstanding citizens in its community – and is doing so in a manner consistent with Volvo’s commitment to caring, conscience and character.
For nine years, Volvo of Charleston has donated a one-year lease to the Charleston County School District Teacher of the Year. For 2010, a C30 will be driven to school each day by Maisha Rounds, a teacher who also happened to grow up in the school district.
Rounds was inspired to teach after her high school Teacher Cadet class visited students with profound mental disabilities. She earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in community counseling from Winthrop College. Her classroom lessons are arts-infused and multi-sensory. She is often found engaging her students by playing her keyboard to teach new skills and concepts while her students dance and create art. She has coauthored several books, addressing issues that come with special needs, abuse and illiteracy, and she strives to improve the teaching profession by serving as a mentor and professional development trainer for teachers and administrators in the district.
“We got involved several years ago as a way to serve our community and reward our teachers for all that they do,” said Sheila Sines Thomasson, who oversees marketing and business development at Volvo of Charleston. “We also host a get-together for the finalists each year at Volvo of Charleston and we attend the awards banquet.”
It’s evident that Volvo of Charleston understands how civic involvement can have long-term rewards for its community and its business.
Teacher of the Year
