In 2000, a four-year-old girl from Philadelphia approached her mother with a plan. She was going to set up a lemonade stand in her front lawn to raise money to fund research for children with cancer.

"I thought it was adorable. It didn't seem like it was going to raise a lot of money," said Liz Scott.

Little did she know what her young daughter, Alexandra, would accomplish in her short life.

Alex had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her first birthday. Since then she had been focused on helping her doctors find a cure. At that first lemonade stand, with the help of local media attention, Alex raised $2,000.

For the next four years, every spring Alex would set up her lemonade stand, and each year the response increased. The Scotts began receiving donations year round, quickly starting a grass roots movement. Soon other young people around the country started setting up their own lemonade stands for Alex's cause.

By the spring of 2004 Alex had raised $200,000 - but still, she was not satisfied. Despite her deteriorating health, the eight-year-old told her mother she wanted to raise $1 million that year.

"It was an incredible goal that I never imagined she'd meet," Liz said. "It was a call to action."

But amazingly, Alex did meet her goal just before she passed away on August 1, 2004. The following year Alex's Lemonade Stand became an independent foundation.

"Sometimes it's hard to stay close to the cause," Liz said. "It's bittersweet to see it making a difference when Alex isn't here to enjoy it."

Still, Liz says she feels she feels fortunate to know how positively her daughter is remembered.

Since then Alex's mission has continued through lemonade stands all over the country. Seattle's denomination of SeekingSitters, an online baby-sitting service, will have a stand on Alki Beach this coming Saturday (August 23) to support the foundation.

The company has only been in Seattle for four months and hopes to use this event to introduce itself to the community.

Owner Lisa Rizza also wanted to contribute to a foundation that would benefit children. While childhood cancer is a tragic problem, research for the epidemic is largely underfunded. According to Alex's Lemonade Stand, an average of 36 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every day. What's more, the causes of most childhood cancers are unknown and cannot be prevented.

Rizza appreciates the opportunity for children to get involved with Alex's Lemonade Stand. Virtually anyone can raise money for the foundation, as there is no minimum contribution.

"We like the simplicity of it and the fact that it can involve children," said Rizza. "I think if children grow up giving back to the community then that can make a big difference in their lives."

Liz has seen the positive affect of projects like this.

"It's mind-blowing to see how empowered it makes people," Liz said. "They do believe that they're making a difference."

While Rizza plans to charge just 50 cents a glass at the lemonade stand, it seems that each small contribution towards Alex's Lemonade Stand has added up to make a deep impact on research towards children's cancer.

The foundation has raised over $20 million and funded 80 research projects in hospitals across the country, including Seattle's Children's Hospital.

Rizza urges community members to come out and support the cause and bring their kids to meet the sitters first hand.

You can find the SeekingSitters lemonade stand at 1702 Alki Avenue from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 23. You can also donate to Alex's Lemonade Fund at www.alexslemonade.org.