By Jeanni Ritchie
When Paige and Piper LaCaze first set up a folding table and hand-painted sign in 2021, they had no idea their simple act of kindness would one day raise more than $35,000 for breast-cancer research.
This year marked the sisters’ fifth annual Paige & Piper’s Lemonade Stand, and it was their biggest yet—raising $10,577 for the CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Cancer Center Foundation and earning first place as the largest fundraising team in Alexandria’s Gleaux for the Girls race.
But as their mother, Lacie LaCaze, shared afterward, “Even more meaningful than the total or the title are the blessings that will pour out as these funds go toward finding a cure for breast cancer. Watching our daughters and our family grow through this experience—serving others, giving selflessly, and walking in the ways of the Lord—has been the sweetest reward of all.”
Over the years, Paige and Piper have poured thousands of cups of lemonade under their signature slogan, “Drink Pink for a Cause.” You’ll find them at community events throughout the year—basketball tournaments at their school, Mi Tierra’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, and the annual Gleaux for the Girls race—spreading cheer and awareness one cup at a time.
The project began after the girls heard their grandmother Brenda Tracy’s story of survival. 2024 marked 25 years since Brenda entered remission, a milestone that inspired the girls to give back in her honor. With the help of their parents, Darin and Lacie LaCaze, the sisters have turned that inspiration into impact.
Now 13, Paige reflects on how the journey has strengthened her faith and sense of purpose:
“I believe that we have been called to raise others in our generation to do God’s great work and that we are to spur each other on for our good and His glory.”
What began as a simple neighborhood lemonade stand has become a sweet local tradition—and a powerful reminder that no act of kindness is too small when it’s poured out in love.
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
