Okotoks residents are encouraged to fill their pockets with change, head out on the town, and support young entrepreneurs this weekend for the third annual Lemonade Day.

Many kids in the community have been working for about two months with mentors on building their first small business, and today is the culmination of all the hard work.

Melissa Whitney, Co-Chair of the Okotoks Lemonade Day Committee, says while most people have had their own lemonade stand as a kid, these are a little bit different.

She says the participants and their mentors have been working through activity booklets learning all about business.

"As they go through the workbook they learn all sorts of great tools that they'll need to grow a small business," she explains. "Everything from coming up with a budget, a business plan, meeting and working with investors, marketing plans, what makes a great name, finding a perfect location, and of course developing really great customer service best practice."

Whitney says participants learn not only about business, but build self esteem, and life skills as well.

"Some of the feedback we get from parents is that as the kids have been chatting with community members they gain all sorts of self confidence, they feel excited about being a part of the community."

Whitney shares there are three main messages they hope kids take away from Lemonade Day; spend some of their money, save some money, and of course, share some of their money.

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