Applebee's Hosts Kickoff Fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand

On Saturday morning, the Applebee's in Montgomeryville hosted a flapjack fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand, kicking off an upcoming monthlong stretch of raising funds to help battle childhood cancer.

Members of the Fire Department of Montgomery Township, along with the local Boy Scout troop, volunteered to serve food, while several officers from the Montgomery Township Police Department also attended.

"We've got a police officer here fingerprinting the kids, and the K-9 unit is on its way," said Rebekah Detrich, of Applebee's Montgomeryville.

The officer doing the fingerprinting was Officer Jim Matlack, whose fingerprinting initiative has taken him to nearly every major local event.

Outside the Applebee's, a replica of the original "Alex's Lemonade Stand" was located next to the entrance, with a tent of volunteers in the parking lot, and a couple of different table displays.

The flapjack fundraiser aimed to raise awareness to a much larger fundraising goal.

"All of the Applebee's in the area will begin raising funds for Alex's Lemonade stand from July 5 to Aug. 7," said Detrich. "It's a large Applebee's initiative to raise money, so we can make a large donation each year."

Alex's Lemonade Stand began in 2000 when 4-year-old Alexandra Scott decided to create a lemonade stand to raise money for her doctors to find a cure for childhood cancer.

In 2004, Alexandra passed away after a seven-year battle with cancer, but not before she managed to raise more than $1 million.

To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand has raised more than $40 million in the hopes of finding a cure. For more information about the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, click here.