By Meghann DeJesus, age 16
KidScoop Media Correspondent
Some events you cover once and remember. Other events you look forward to its return. For me, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade is definitely one of those.
I’ve covered this incredible event for the past two years, and I’m excited to its return to UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 4 p.m., for an afternoon of amazing food, famous chefs and an important cause.
Held at UCLA’s Royce Quad, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade brings together some of the country’s top chefs to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) and its mission to fund childhood cancer research. Last year’s event raised more than $1.3 million.
One of my favorite parts of covering this event is, of course, the food! I’ve had so much fun trying dishes I might never have ordered for myself. One year, I even tried sea urchin for the first time. I wasn’t sure what I was going to think, but that’s part of the fun of being a KidScooper—you get to try new things and decide for yourself.
This year’s impressive chef lineup includes Ludo Lefebvre of Petit Trois, Nancy Silverton of the Mozza Restaurant Group, Neal Fraser of Redbird, Adam Perry Lang of APL, Michael Cimarusti of Providence and Connie & Ted’s, Suzanne Goin of AOC, and Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill, along with many other talented chefs.
I love walking from one chef’s booth to another, tasting new dishes, meeting chefs and asking questions. It feels like taking a food tour of Los Angeles in just a few hours!
But the food is only part of what makes this event special.
The story behind Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation began with Alex Scott, a young girl who wanted to help other children with cancer. Her simple lemonade stand grew into a national movement.
That is what makes L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade so meaningful to me as a young reporter. It shows that kids really can make a difference.
I’m excited to return this year to eat, explore, ask questions and see what new food adventure awaits me. And, of course, I’m hoping there will be plenty of lemonade!
L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 4 p.m. at UCLA’s Royce Quad. If you can’t make it to the event, you can still help. Donations to the Kids’ Campaign and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation can be made online through the ALSF Ways to Give page.
For me, it’s more than an event to cover. It’s a reminder that one kid with one simple idea can inspire an entire community.