Skip to content

$8,001 raised locally for B.C. Ronald McDonald house

The funds were raised by the local McDonald’s through its participation in the 20th McHappy Day, a fundraiser held across Canada.

Submitted

Cranbrook McDonald’s restaurant would like to thank the community in helping it raise $8,001 for the new Ronald McDonald House B.C. in Vancouver.

The funds were raised by the local McDonald’s through its participation in the 20th McHappy Day, a national fundraiser held in more than 1,400 McDonald’s restaurants across Canada.

In Cranbrook, all funds raised were earmarked for Ronald McDonald House BC.

“This year we once again decided to fundraise for the new Ronald McDonald House that is being built in Vancouver,” said Cranbrook and Fernie McDonald’s owner/operator David Kaiser. “The House is a home-away-from-home for children requiring medical treatment at BC Children’s Hospital, and for their families. It provides roughly 400 out-of-town families, many of them from the Kootenays, with a place to stay every year.

“And yet due to facility limitations, each year the House must turn away almost as many families as it accepts. That is why a new Ronald McDonald House is in the works.”

The new Ronald McDonald House will be approximately 75,000 square feet, which will make it the second largest House program in Canada, in an effort to meet the growing demand for family accommodation near BC Children’s Hospital. The estimated cost of construction is $26,750,000.

“A new Ronald McDonald House is desperately needed here in B.C., especially for families from our area whose kids are receiving treatment at the BC Children’s Hospital and they have no place to stay,” said Cranbrook & Fernie McDonald’s Community Relations Representative Courtney Magro. “Considering the high cost of construction for the new House, we wanted to donate our McHappy Day earnings to the Ronald McDonald House BC,”

The Cranbrook McDonald’s was joined by members of the Cranbrook Fire Department, B104/The Drive radio station and volunteers from the ACT/UCT service club as they rolled up their sleeves to work behind the counter and in the lobby on McHappy Day. Marissa Phillips, a local face painter, also donated her time and delighted kids with her artistry. The Royal Stewart Highland Dancers held a special performance at the restaurant in honour of McHappy Day, as well.