By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

every nickel goes to help kids

DQ Miracle Treat Day runs all day Thursday, Aug. 11

Aug 10, 2022 | 11:03 AM

Dairy Queen’s annual Miracle Treat Day is Aug. 11, with 100 per cent of proceeds from every Blizzard sold, mini, small, medium or large, going to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Customers can also purchase vouchers for future use, and place pre-orders for big groups.

Each DQ location in Red Deer is taking part in the national initiative, with co-owner and general manager Drew Hamill sharing they’ve already sold close to 40,000 paper balloons to hang on their restaurants’ walls.

With each balloon requiring a minimum $1 donation, that’s a lot of dough — close to $60,000, he says — going to support families at facilities such as the Stollery in Edmonton, and Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. Those are two of 12 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Canada.

“It’s one of those things where it’s such a vulnerable population that we’re helping. Kids can’t help themselves, so people do care about getting on board. Plus, our staff do a fantastic job buying in because they’re the ones on the front line asking for the dollar every time,” says Hamill.

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“Everybody you talk to has a family friend or knows somebody who’s had to be in one of the two Alberta hospitals, and it can be a very stressful time for families. It’s nice to know your money’s going to help kids get better and get out of the hospital.”

Money has also been raised this year by DQ staff who’ve collected drink containers to recycle, as well as asking customers at the till if they wish to round up their total, and through art auctions in store.

According to the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), which was founded in 1983, 1-in-10 children in North America are treated by a CMN hospital each year.

In Red Deer, DQ has been supporting the cause for nearly 20 years, and is one of just a small group of family-owned franchises to raise over $1 million, something they accomplished in 2018.