Customers line up at the Second Ave. W McDonald's restaurant to support McHappy Day, which ends at midnight. (Emily Zbaraschuk/paNOW)

By Emily Zbaraschuk

McHappy Day

Annual McHappy Day supports local families

May 8, 2019 | 3:00 PM

Today marks the 26th annual McHappy Day across the country. For every Big Mac, Happy Meal, or hot McCafe beverage sold, the charity will receive $1. Since the first McHappy Day was held in 1977, over $67 million has been raised for the Ronald McDonald House Charity.

When Ivan and Shianne Trudel’s son was born with genetic abnormalities, they were thankful for the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon. It helped them and their two young daughters be near their son for the first year of his life.

“There’s nothing really like it. The Ronald McDonald House is just an amazing charity and organization. We don’t know what we would have done without it,” said Ivan.

Ken Malenfant, owner and operator of Prince Albert McDonald’s said they hope to surpass the $10,000 that was raised in the city last year but added its not just about the money raised – it’s about the story.

pilot project looking for public support

Kokum and Dot: a new Indigenous-themed kids show created by member of Muskoday First Nation

3h ago

Reliable rentals

Introducing EZ Care and EZ Ryder; Transforming health transport and car rental services

4h ago

Riderville

Riders Give Fans a Taste of What Kind of Team They Were Hoping to Be

Sep 26, 2024

“A lot of people don’t know what’s happening in the community from a Ronald McDonald House Foundation’s perspective, so this is a day we can tell them a little bit about how we’re helping the community,” Malenfant explained.

Prince Albert has a Ronald McDonald Family Room in the Victoria Hospital. It opened in 2016 and is a place for families to get away from the hospital atmosphere and relax. According to the charity, around seven to ten families use the room each day. Although their son is now at home, the Trudels visit the Victoria Hospital at least once a month and often use the family room.

“You wouldn’t ever think that [the room] is in the hospital,” Ivan said. “It just feels like a home environment.”

“The room’s a great place for our family to get away from the [hospital] room, for our girls to go play, have a snack, take a breath, [and] get away from the hospital setting,” Shianne said.

On McHappy Day, $1 from every hot McCafe beverage, Happy Meal or Big Mac is donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities. (Emily Zbaraschuk/paNOW)

The Ronald McDonald House Charities reports every twenty minutes, on average, a new family shows up at a Ronald McDonald House in Canada. Last year, close to 3,000 families were turned away because there was not enough space for them. Funding raised by McHappy Day helps open new houses and rooms so more families can stay with their children.

“I would encourage anybody…to try and be a part of it somehow, or at least come down and have a Big Mac or McCafe today,” Ivan said.

At the Second Ave. W McDonald’s restaurant, raffle tickets for a signed Raiders jersey are also being sold, with all proceeds going the charity. McHappy Day ends at midnight.

–

emily.zbaraschuk@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow