It's apparently never too young to be a successful entrepreneur 鈥� especially when it supports a good cause.
Such is the case with Lyla, a six-year-old from Penticton whose business ventures this year helped raise a total of $8,000 for the local oncology clinic.
The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation accepted her donation at a cheque presentation inside Cherry Lane Shopping Centre on Nov. 26.
Lyla's efforts started on Aug. 17, when she opened a lemonade stand. She then started selling bracelets and ornaments, en route to raising thousands for the expanded cancer facility, which is expected to open on the third floor of the Penticton Regional Hospital in June 2025.
Funds from her lemonade stand collected $3,000, while her remaining initiatives 鈥� Lyla's Trim the Tree Fundraiser 鈥� raised $5,000.
Gerry Turchak, owner of Brutus Truck Bodies, contributed $500 to Lyla's donation.
The local business owner also donated $75,000 to the Giving Tuesday event, helping the foundation raise more than $371,325 for its $10 million oncology campaign.
Lissette Little, director of development at the SOS Medical Foundation, says more updates on how much has been raised to this point will be released in the coming weeks.
In April 2024, the foundation said it raised $5 million of its $10 million goal, set in 2022.
"We have an incredible community," Little said. "We couldn't have done this without them."
