In August, Wellspring Alberta’s Randy O’Dell House welcomed a special gift – $90 raised by siblings Nora and Oliver Hurd, who hosted a lemonade stand while visiting their grandparents in Prince Edward Island. Together with their cousin Wesley, the kids set up shop outside their grandparents’ house, offering lemonade and gingersnaps and beckoning customers to sample their treats. The stand quickly became a hit for neighbours and beachgoers, raising $90 in just one hour.
When it came time to choose where the money should go, Nora suggested it be donated to help people with cancer. “Cancer has certainly been in our family, and I think that’s why Nora chose to give money to this kind of charity,” their mom, Ellen, explained.
The Hurds chose Wellspring because of a personal connection. Over a decade ago, Grandma Annie found comfort and community at Wellspring during her cancer journey. During that time, and since her passing, her son Mike – Nora and Oliver’s dad – has climbed thousands of stairs each year in her honour, participating in the Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge to raise funds for Wellspring programs.
This summer, Nora and Oliver proudly carried on the family tradition of giving to help others. When they hand-delivered their donation, the family was welcomed with warmth and gratitude, and invited on a tour of the centre.
“It was just such a lovely experience,” Ellen shared. “I think it meant a lot to the kids – they were really excited about it.”
