On the steaming hot day of July 23, Breast Intentions, a charity that offers financial and logistical support to families suffering a breast cancer diagnosis, hosted its first National Pink Lemonade Day to raise awareness of its mission. While many organizations exist for research and cure of the disease, Breast Intentions focuses solely on addressing the issues that keep breast cancer patients up at night.
National Pink Lemonade Day is an event run by a team of student volunteers in grades eight through 12. Under the guidance of board member Dominick Antonino, the teens spearheaded an event whose home lemonade stand was held on the grounds of the Middletown Arts Center. Other stands were held as far away as Illinois. With pink lemonade being poured throughout many New Jersey towns and around the country, the unified goal was to inform the public that Breast Intentions is here to help. Children as young as 6 years old helped hand out glasses of ice cold pink lemonade, toys, bracelets and organization literature.
Pink Lemonade Day couldn’t have been a success without several Middletown teen leaders. Anika Pepsin designed the event logos, signage, t-shirts and other print materials. Cole Raymond and Samantha LaRochelle made a video, which was posted on the Breast Intentions website and social media platforms in the weeks leading up to the event. All three students are juniors at Communications High School in Wall. Michelle Mosquera, a junior at Middletown High School South, was the social media coordinator who posted updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram before and during the event to keep the fun going. Jack Harrington, also a junior at Middletown South, was video and logistics coordinator for the event.
Many members of the community, including Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger, stoped by to support Breast Intentions.
