By Tanya Cronin

McHappy Day serves up smiles

May 2, 2018 | 5:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s an event that draws big crowds across the country. Thousands of people are pledging their support for the 25th annual McHappy Day, raising money for children in need. In Kamloops, residents are rallying together to help families accessing Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver. A third of all families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House come from the Interior, and the need is greater than ever. Wednesday, May 2, dozens of volunteers and local dignitaries spent their time at McDonald’s locations around the city, to help ensure McHappy Day is a success.

Under the yellow arches, smiles are being served up. At McDonald’s, the 25th annual McHappy Day is in full swing. It’s the restaurant’s longest running and most well-known fundraiser, and the focus is all about children.

“All the money we raise today through the sale of a hot McCafe beverage, Happy Meal or a Big Mac Sandwich goes to help Ronald McDonald House, a dollar for each of those items,” says Angela Seymour, McDonald’s Community Relations.

“We did 4,400 Big Macs last year, 5,200 McCafe beverages and over 2,000 Happy Meals, obviously we’re all about breaking our records and getting better and better, so we will track that number throughout the day,” says Elaine Kennedy, McDonald’s Franchisee Supervisor.

In a one-day blitz, 1400 McDonald’s locations from coast-to-coast are giving back and making a difference in the lives of families, caring for a sick child. On average, 30% of families accessing Ronald McDonald House come from the Southern Interior, 44 of those are from Kamloops. Money raised this year through McHappy Day will go towards supporting the house in Vancouver, but with so many children in need, a similar facility is being proposed in Kamloops as part of Royal Inland Hospital’s expansion project and Patient Care Tower. The Ronald McDonald Family Room, would give families outside of our city the comforts of home. 

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“It’s going to make that journey with those sick children just a little bit easier, first and foremost should be the care of that child, so anything we can do logistically or financially to make it a little easier, that’s what we want to do and having our very own one in Kamloops, Ronald McDonald Family Room, will be amazing,” says Seymour.

“Oh the people I have to serve today, thank you for coming by today and supporting McHappy Day, my day’s just going great, this is a better job than being in the fry bin,” says Ken Christian, Mayor of Kamloops.

Dignitaries and local personalities, along with various community organizations are vounteering their time, doing their part to help a much needed cause. We even found our very own Adam Donnelly, hiding behind a bunch of balloons.

“Being able to give back on my day off is pretty cool, they had me blowing up balloons in the back and in about the 30 seconds since I’ve come out from the back, I’ve popped about seven, whether it’s on a rough surface or these pot lights they have up here, so scared some kids, it’s fun,” says Adam Donnelly, CFJC News videographer.

Since McHappy Day started in Canada back in 1977, the fundraising campaign has raised millions of dollars and has helped countless charities. In Kamloops, there’s never a shortage of generosity.