Even the mayor of High River, Craig Snodgrass, dug deep into his pockets to help support Tate and his initiative. Supplied photo


Even the rain didn't stop the community from showing up at Tate's Lemonade Stand during and after the Little Britches Parade on May 16.

The seven-year-old was out raising money for the High River Cancer Care Centre for the second year in a row, and so far he's almost at a whopping $6,000, way up from the $3,800 he raised last year.

Cathy Couey, with the District Health Care Foundation, says they're amazed and blown away by this little boy.

"Just the fact the wants to do this at the age of seven and wants to honour is mom show thanks for the care she received here, that in itself is incredible," she says. "But then for the amount that they've raised now, to be reaching that $6,000 is absolutely incredible and says a lot about them and their initiative and says so much about this community and their network of friends who have supported this project."

Between this year and last year, Tate raised around $10,000, all which will go back into the Cancer Centre.

"That money has been designated to our Cancer Care... Close to Home, which will see the renovation and expansion of the current cancer centre," Couey says. "So we look forward to that renovation in the Fall and that again will just provide more space, new equipment, and more enhancement for our staff to be able to offer their treatment to patients who come from throughout the Foothills."

Tate's dad, Jamie Barton, says he's incredibly proud of his son and is also proud of the community for showing up to give its support.

"We were absolutely shocked to be honest with you," he says. "I wasn't expecting anything near ($6,000), and especially with the rain at the parade, I wasn't sure we were going to quite make $3,800."

He says just in these two years, he's watched his son grow so much, and says Tate has plans to continue his lemonade-stand fundraiser for many years to come.

"When we decided to put a banner together (for his stand) I said 'maybe we should put second annual in there' and he asked me what the word 'annual' meant," Barton says. "So I told him and when we brought the banner home and laid it on the kitchen floor to look at it, he was more excited about the fact that he could chance the number from 2 to 3, so he definitely wants to continue this on an annual basis."

If you would like to donate to Tate's cause, you can call Jamie Barton 403-603-8652 or email bartonjs@shaw.ca