DiMarco Group Partners with Rita’s Italian Ice to Benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Rochester, N.Y. — June 17, 2014 — DiMarco Group employees, family members, friends and community members filled the Great Clips in Tops Brighton Plaza yesterday as John DiMarco II, DiMarco Group president, prepared to have his head shaved alongside Rita’s in Brighton’s owner, Todd James, and Baldwin Real Estate President Bill Durdel. This act of solidarity for children with cancer came as a result of DiMarco Group raising more than $52,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) in collaboration with Rita’s Italian Ice.
“It’s always great to raise money in support of a great cause, but I am amazed that hundreds of people, including our employees and vendors, gave thousands of dollars throughout the past two weeks,” John DiMarco II said. “It’s a huge feat that we are extremely proud of.”
Yesterday’s head-shaving event, held at 1900 S. Clinton Ave., was part of a daylong fundraiser presented by Rita’s Italian Ice in Brighton. All proceeds from the event, which featured bounce houses, face painting and several other family-friendly activities, went to ALSF, a foundation created by Alex Scott, who passed away from cancer at the age of 8. When diagnosed with cancer at age 4, Scott opened a lemonade stand and soon there were hundreds of lemonade stands in her community and beyond. Today, ALSF has raised more than $80 million for cancer research and funds for families affected by childhood cancer.
The event featured a special guest, Liz Scott, mother of ALSF founder Alex Scott. Scott traveled to Rochester from Philadelphia in support of the fundraiser.
“It’s really touching to come to Rochester, a place I’ve never been before, and to see the support in the community,” Scott said. “We’ve been partnering with Rita’s since 2006, and even though this is a newer store, they’ve come out so strong to put on this huge event. Then, with DiMarco Group coming on board to raise more than $52,000, it means more to me than anything I could ever explain. It’s touching, it’s generous, but more importantly, it will enable us to do even more for childhood cancer.”
Every June, Rita’s Italian Ice hosts a national campaign in honor of ALSF, hosting events and selling paper lemons to support the cause. In 2013, the highest amount raised by any Rita’s location nationally was $23,000.
DiMarco Group employees fundraised for two weeks prior to the event, reaching out to colleagues, family members and friends to raise the $52,000. This is the first year Rita’s Italian Ice in Brighton, which opened in August 2013, has participated in the national fundraiser. Rita’s and several other stores throughout the Tops Brighton Plaza will also continue to sell paper lemons throughout the entire month of June.
