07/28/2026
Calling All Rosscarrock Young Enterpreneurs!
My name is Vincent Omala. I'm a City of Calgary Transit employee, an avid year-round cyclist, and someone who believes that the best ideas are those that bring people and communities together. Last Saturday, July 25, 2026, while riding a100 km loop around the Glenmore Reservoir, I had one simple goal; ride 100kms around Glenmore Reservoir while stopping at a few lemonade stands along the way. I even carried cash specifically for this purpose. Ironically, on the days I don't have cash, I seem to pass one or two lemonade stands on my route. On days I have cash on me there are no lemonade stands to be found. Often I ask myself "where are the kids with their lemonade stands?" On this Saturday, despite looking, I couldn't find any. Eventually, towards the end of my ride, I came across one small lemonade stand near Lakeview Golf Course. A few cyclists and motorists stopped to support these young entrepreneurs, and watching those interactions sparked an idea.
What if these kids are wondering the exact opposite of what I am thinking on most of my summer rides around Calgary? "We have lemonade, where are all the customers?" That simple thought grew into a crazy idea, as crazy as some of my endurance rides I am known for. Imagine this, what if, for one day every summer, hundreds (perhaps even thousands) of cyclists rode a mapped route around Calgary, stopping at lemonade stands operated by children under the age of 12? Instead of waiting hours, in the hot summer sun, for a handful of customers, these young entrepreneurs would experience a steady stream of smiling cyclists enthusiasts cheering them on, buying lemonade, refilling water bottles, and encouraging their future business dreams. The excitement on their faces would be unforgettable.
A lemonade stand is often a child's first venture into the tough business world. One of two things usually happens, a spark is kindled or killed. If a spark is kindled, it teaches essential business skill sets, most of us learnt early on in life or later on in life (too late). A simple lemonade stand teaches skills such as; entrepreneurship, confidence, customer service, financial literacy, creativity, problem solving, marketing, self reliance, building networks and the the importance of one golden rule in business, location, location, location. Now imagine an entire cycling community riding from neighbourhood to neighbourhood supporting those young dreams, one glass of lemonade at a time. How many sparks can we kindle?
So I figured why not have the first ever "๐๐ดYYC Lemonade Escapade Ride ๐๐ด". A community cycling event unlike anything Calgary has seen before. hundreds of Calgary cyclists would ride through Calgary neighbourhoods, stopping at registered lemonade stands throughout the city. Registered participants could, ride the complete city-wide route, choose shorter neighbourhood loops or create their own routes using the official event map. Each lemonade stand would become a fun and refreshing checkpoint where riders could: enjoy a cold lemonade, refill their water bottles, meet Calgary's youngest entrepreneurs and importantly support local young future entrepreneurs within various communities.
Routes could be uploaded to Strava and other cycling platforms, allowing riders to explore communities they may never have visited before. Did you know Calgary has more than 200 communities , and even after years of living here, today was the first time I heard of some of these communities while writing and researching this email. How would young Calgarian kids benefit? hundreds of customers, real business experience, increased confidence (no screen time), a memorable summer experience. How about the cyclists, you may ask, what's in it for me? You'll discover routes to explore, a unique social ride, hydration stops throughout the day, and support young future local businesses. Calgary communities will benefit through increased neighbourhood activity, stronger community connections, a chance to showcase local parks, community associations and businesses. The city would benefit through encouraging active transportation, supporting young entrepreneurship, promoting healthy living, and building stronger connected communities.
To make the day even more exciting, cyclists could vote for their favourite lemonade stands. At the end of the event we would celebrate Calgary's: Top 12 Under 12 Best YYC Lemonade Stand Entrepreneurs. 50% of prize money could be distributed equally amongst top 12 lemonade stands funded through cyclists event registrations via donations at below gofund me page and sponsorships. The rest of the proceeds from cyclist participants registration fee would be donated equally to Calgary organizations that support youth entrepreneurship.
I am looking for partners. An idea like this only becomes reality when people come together. I am looking for community associations, local businesses, especially cycling stores, cycling clubs, City of Calgary, and anyone passionate about cycling, supporting young local businesses and building stronger communities. Together, we can create an event that inspires young entrepreneurs while encouraging Calgarians to discover their city in a fun, healthy, and meaningful way. Who knows? This could become one of Calgary's favourite annual summer traditions. Let's build something our city (and especially our kids) will remember for years to come.
Let's make this happen. Text or call me 403-604-9372 or email me [email protected] so that we can brainstorm and together make this a memorable event. ๐ด๐โ๏ธ. LemonadeEscapadeRide ๐ด๐โ๏ธ... if life gives you lemons, squeeze, drink and ride out everydrop, just don't ride a lemon
Proposed Date: Sunday, August 16th.
Start Time: 11am - 6pm
Official Start Point: North Glenmore Park (Or registered cyclists may choose to start at any point on the map / community)
Official Ride Map: To be updated and link shared with registered cyclists as Lemonade stand locations are sent to the event organizer [email protected]
Deadline to register Lemonade stands: August 6th.
Registration Fee for Lemonade Stand: Free (send lemonade stand location pin to event organizer)
Lemonade Stand Age Restriction: Under 12 years old
Min / Max price per glass of lemonade: $1 - $2
Send Lemonade stand location pins to event organizer for ride map generation: [email protected]
Deadline to register as a cyclist: August 6th
Cyclist Registration Fee: $5 (making a 5$ donation to this gofund me page)
Connecting YYC Cyclists To Support Young Under 12 Lemโฆ vincent omala needs your support for YYC Lemonade Escapade Ride - To Support Young Enterpreneurs
