Get yourself a delicious treat for a good cause today.
Participating Dairy Queens across Central Illinois is partnering with HSHS St. John’s Children Hospital on Thursday, July 25 only for Miracle Treat Day to help raise funds for children’s programs at the hospital like the child life program, music therapy, and pet therapy.
Dave Newton, the program coordinator for the Children’s Miracle Network at St. John’s Children’s Hospital, explains how the efforts today will go towards the funding of the hospital.
“We always say this about the fundraiser and the same holds true for Miracle Treat Day. It is local funds, for local kids, at the local children’s hospital and those funds can be used for everything from life saving equipment to a doll that is used for surgery. The other day we counted over 57 different things that we helped fund at the children’s hospital. Really quick about one of those, we just had installed in our playroom an interactive floor game with a projector that projects from the ceiling onto the ground so kids can come into that playroom and use this game to kick a soccer ball or pop a balloon and it is just a great way for a kid to be a kid. It also helps with their health too because when you get kids out of their room, it can shorten their stay. So it is all those items like that that need funding that would not normally get funded that events like Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day fund.”
All Dairy Queens opened at 10 a.m. This morning and will remain open the rest of the day until 10 or 11 p.m. tonight depending on location. Newton details what we can do to help raise money, while also enjoying ourselves at the same time.
“For today it is just do something that you already enjoy doing and that is having a blizzard at Miracle Treat Day. Beyond that, there are a number of different ways that you can help. A lot of people do smaller fundraisers for the kids at the children’s hospital, but a lot of people just participate with all our partners and their fundraisers. We have partners in Panda Express, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Ace Hardware, and Casey’s and at different different points during the year, they are all raising money for the children’s hospital. So the best way people can help out these kids is to just keep their eyes open for all these great events that these great partners do.”
People are also encouraged to use the hashtag MiracleTreatDay on social media to help get the word out. As for the future, Newton gives us a little sneak peek for what is still to come in helping out the children’s hospital.
“I will specifically mention one and it pertains to the city of Jacksonville as well. Ace Hardware does their bucket days between August 2nd through August 4th, including the one in Jacksonville. What people can do is purchase a bucket for five dollars and anything you can put in that bucket, you get 20% off of. It is a great deal for people. Then, the five dollars for that bucket, all those funds and donations go to the kids at the children’s hospital.”
For more information about today’s event, you can visit MiracleTreatDay.com