McDonald’s restaurants across Saskatchewan celebrated McHappy Day on Wednesday, raising money for Ronald McDonald House.
One dollar from each Big Mac, Happy Meal and hot McCafe beverage sold went toward the charity. Patrons also had the option of donating more, or purchasing a pair of McDonald’s socks as a way to donate.
Even the Global Saskatoon crew got in the spirit of things, helping with the drive-thru, taking orders and pouring coffee for customers at a local McDonald’s.
“One hundred per cent of the money raised through McHappy Day stays in Saskatchewan, and that is an important message to know as well. It doesn’t go back to some central system in Ontario, it really stays here in Saskatchewan,” Tammy Forrester, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan, said.
Ronald McDonald House gives families of sick children a temporary home away from home at a low cost. McDonald’s covers 25 per cent while the rest is funded by donations from the community.
“It’s $10 a night to stay. So if we don’t have these types of events in place and these types of fundraisers, we can’t keep the costs that low,” Forrester said. “There’s no plan of raising the cost, but we do need to raise those funds each and every day to support the families staying at the house.”
Opened in Saskatoon in 1985, Saskatchewan’s only Ronald McDonald House serves families from across the province due to its proximity to specialized services. It’s expected to see an increase in families coming through once the nearby children’s hospital is built.
Staff from Ronald McDonald House were spread across the province on Wednesday, including Lloydminster, Meadow Lake, the Battlefords, Prince Albert and within Saskatoon. Forrester began her day in Martensville and Warman, before travelling through to multiple restaurants in Saskatoon, and wrapping up the celebrations in Humboldt with a Big Mac of her own.
“We reach all the communities across the province and really it’s the communities outside of Saskatoon that are affected and use the Ronald McDonald House,” Forrester said. “We can go back to those communities and connect with the families that stayed at the house, we can thank our McDonald’s operators, and we can reach those families in the communities.”
While the goal locally is to raise $200,000, McHappy Day has raised over $67 million since it began 25 years ago.
“It really supports our operational bottom line every year, it’s something we can count on every year as we’re not a government-funded agency, so it’s great McDonald’s can step up and help in some way shape or form” Forrester said.
Comments