Savannah's Lemonade Stand Sets Fundraising Record In Warminster

WARMINSTER, PA —It certainly is not Savannah's last stand. But it may be her best.

After a decade of running her lemonade stand to raise money for cancer research, Savannah Zeaman's latest fundraiser has raised the most money yet.

Savannah's Lemonade stand raised $5,924.40 this year with all proceeds donated to CHOP Cancer Research.

Technically, it's the 2nd highest, her mother Lori said. Last year, the William Tennent High School student received a donation after her fundraiser for $2,136 that pushed her 2022 tally to $6,566.

"We are so proud of Savannah, all the time, but especially for her dedication to the stand over these last 10 years," her mother told Patch Monday. "She is an amazing kid with a pure heart and with the one million other things that a teenager has to worry about. She never loses sight of her Lemonade Stand. If you would have told us 10 years ago that this would be an annual thing, we never would have believed it. It truly is amazing. She truly is amazing!"

For more than half her life, Savannah —who recently turned 17 —has raised funds for cancer research annually with her lemonade stand as a tribute to her late kindergarten teacher, Kathy Shelmire, who passed away from cancer one year after Savannah was in her class.

Over the course of a decade, she's helped raise $31,000 —an impressive fundraising average of $3,100 each year.

Savannah said she will never forget her kindergarten teacher and the impact it's made on her commitment to fundraising for cancer research.

"Her death was the first that I had ever experienced, and it was very difficult for me to accept. If I was so hurt, I couldn’t even imagine how devastated her close friends and family must have been," Savannah told Patch before the fundraiser. "The thoughts I was having made me want to do something to prevent as many people from feeling that way as possible. I, alongside my parents, decided that a lemonade stand would be a great way to raise money for cancer research, in hopes of being able to find a cure and put an end to this horrible disease. I have continued my stand every year since for that same reason, but also because it truly just feels good to do good. I am so grateful for the life that I have, and I believe it is important to give back and provide for those who may not be as fortunate as me."