LA GRANDE — The La Grande Parks and Recreation Department wants to keep the magic of the summer lemonade stand alive.

The department has traditionally conducted a day camp devoted to teaching youths about how to operate lemonade stands as profitable businesses. Unfortunately, it has not been able to do that this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In lieu of this opportunity, the city is offering youths the chance to learn, online, about operating a lemonade business.

The lessons are available via a free online Lemonade Day platform the parks and recreation department is offering in partnership with Community Bank, Ignite-La Grande and Business Oregon.

People accessing the platform will learn how to make a business plan for a lemonade stand plus the importance of goals and of giving back to the community, said McKayla Nitz, recreation supervisor for La Grande Parks and Recreation.

Nitz said she hopes in 2021 the La Grande Parks and Recreation Department will again be able to conduct its lemonade day camp.

She noted that in past years those who attended the day camp used the training they received to operate lemonade stands at La Grande’s Crazy Days celebration in July. This has proved to been an ideal place to sell lemonade.

“There is a lot of foot traffic at Crazy Days,” Nitz said.

In 2019, 10 youths attended the lemonade day camp, where they received advise from business experts including those at Community Bank. Later the youths operated a total of four lemonade stands at Crazy Days, each of which made at least $100 in profits, said Christine Jarski, the city of La Grande’s economic development director.

The platform parks and recreation is offering is connected to the National Lemonade Day program, which prepares youths to operate stands. The Lemonade Day program was founded by Michael Holthouse, the founder and president of Paranet Inc., a computer network services company. The first Lemonade Day was in 2007 in Houston.

“Our mission is to help today’s youth become the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward thinking citizens of tomorrow, one lemonade stand at time,” the Lemonade Day website states.

The Lemonade Day program is open to youth of all ages but its curriculum is written to target ages 3-5.

Parents can register their sons and daughters for the lemonade program at www.lemonadeday.org/la-grande.