The golden arches are serving up more than smiles for a worthy cause for McHappy Day, a national event, that is took place in Cochrane and Banff-Canmore on May 8.
David Boehmer, general manager of the Fireside McDonalds, explained that McHappy Days is an annual event that takes place across Canada to support the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
“Last year, with the help of our guests and community, we raised a total of just over $16,000,” Boehmer said. “This year, as the market of Banff, Canmore, and the Fireside, and 5th Ave. restaurants in Cochrane, we are looking to do $25,000 in funds raised.”
Boehmer said that volunteers for this year’s event include Cochrane RCMP, Cochrane Victim Services, and Cochrane Fire Services. He views this as a great way to better connect with the community, while showcasing McDonald’s values.
“We try to bring the community, family, service, and quality to everything that we do, day in and out,” he said. “This is really special because we get to take this a step further, and ask the community to join us in that, which is a very cool opportunity.”
Lucia Lavorato, the development coordinator with the Ronald McDonald House in Calgary, said she is so grateful to see all the support from community members, to better support families going through difficult times.
“This is my first McHappy Day with Ronald McDonald House, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lavorato said. “The excitement is so palpable, and knowing that a majority of our families that use our houses come from small communities, it just means so much that the people of Cochrane and smaller communities, outside of bigger cities, support us.”
Kendall Somers, Owner and operator of the McDonalds in Cochrane and Banff-Canmore, said this is one of the best times of the year for the restaurants.
“For us it’s one of the best times of the year to raise money for families with sick children,” Summers said. “The Calgary, as well as the Edmonton [Ronald McDonald] Houses are going under major renovations.
“The Calgary house is looking to triple their capacity, so anything we can do at the restaurant level to help support the families is great, and that’s why we do it.”
Summers said he would like to give a special thanks to his team, and all the community members who helped support them in this year’s event.
