Ohio State students have been heating up in the warm weather, but the Panhellenic Association helped them cool down Wednesday while raising money to fight childhood cancer.

With three stands set up around campus, volunteers from the association sold lemonade and collected money to donate to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

After watching a YouTube video about Alex Scott and how she started her own charity, executive board members of the four Greek governing bodies decided they wanted to get OSU involved with the organization, said Amanda Chin, vice president of Greek and Community Outreach for the Panhellenic Association.

According to the foundation’s website, Scott was 4 years old when she decided to set up a lemonade stand to raise money to help children, who like her, were battling cancer.

After Scott passed away in 2004, her legacy lived on through her charity and the $30 million raised to fund research initiatives, pay for families to travel while their children are being treated, and provide resources to families of children with cancer.

That is why the Panhellenic Association’s director of philanthropy, Liz Roebuck, knew this was an event she wanted to see on OSU’s campus, she said.

Since the winter, Roebuck has been working with Chin and the association’s president Julie Knox to plan a fundraiser to make money for the cause, Roebuck said.

The success of this event should be great, said Gillian Kocher, public relations specialist for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Though factors such as weather and the amount of lemonade can affect success, Kocher said just holding the event helps the cause.

“We found that $20 funds 45 minutes of pediatric cancer research,” and raising awareness is key in the fight against cancer, Kocher said on the phone from the foundation’s headquarters in Wynnewood, Penn. Kocher, who is inspired by the creativity of college students not only from OSU but from around the country, greatly appreciates the work that Roebuck and other volunteers are doing for the children, she said.

“Half of our funds every year come from the volunteers who set up these lemonade stands,” she said. “It’s just so important that people know that these volunteers are the main reason we can continue what Alex started.”

Inspired by the little girl’s courage and dedication to bring her community together, Knox hopes passion for this cause is contagious at OSU, she said.

Although most philanthropy events planned by the Panhellenic Association are only recognized by the Greek community, Knox and Roebuck said they both believe they are including the entire university in their efforts to raise money and awareness.

With donations from Giant Eagle, Kroger and Gordon Food Service, Roebuck said she was able to purchase ingredients for the lemonade and still provide Alex’s Lemonade Stand with 100 percent of the proceeds.