Kevin Participates in McHappy Day 2024

5 days ago

2 minutes read

May 8th was officially McHappy Day in Canada and the Kindersley location was busy. This is a very important day in many ways as it is a major fundraiser for RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Canada). McDonalds played a founding role in opening the first Ronald McDonald House in Canada in 1981. Since then, 450,000 families have been supported by RMHC programs across our great country.

In Canada, 65% of Canadians live outside a city with a children’s hospital. We are fortunate to have the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. So when a child gets sick and needs to be hospitalized, families often have to travel hundreds of kilometers for treatments and support their child needs. This can be a difficult and unexpected journey.

So, what do Ronald McDonald Houses do? Well, they provide families with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital. These houses come complete with bedrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and quiet spaces where the family can be together in a loving and supportive atmosphere. The RMHC truly becomes a home away from home for families.

Some hospitals even provide Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. They are a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside the hospital!

McDonald’s Canada, its franchisees and its guests support Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada in many different way: this year, the sale of socks and aprons and of course, $2, $5 and $10 hearts can be purchased and are displayed in the store.

The staff were very friendly and patient as us volunteers tried not to get in their way and let them do their work. They also patiently answered questions and in general, gave a high level of service. Thank you for allowing us to come into your house and be a part of this special day.

This author was honored to be a part of this fun day as I helped out in the drive-thru and in the front talking to people and asking for their support for this fantastic cause. I was also able to see first hand how the back end of the operation works; from touring the cooler and freezer, to seeing how eggs are cooked and burgers and fries are looked after. And, I even got to make a burger! While I don’t know how much funds were donated, I did see how many people were generous and supportive of McHappy Day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped into the store and donated and thank you to all the volunteers who also came out to offer their help. This author has another level of appreciation for what McDonalds does and how they help.

Well done!

By Kevin Martin