Airdrie residents raised more than $25,000 for Alberta Children’s Hospital with this year’s Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day, Aug. 11.
Local businessman Al Jones attributes the success to the fact that companies were able to pre-order the treats and have them delivered.
“The local business community did not disappoint,” said UPS owner Mike Watkins.
“Entire staffs passed the order sheets around their offices and bosses bought ice cream for their employees.”
Last year, the one-day event raised more than $5.5 million in Canada and prior to this year, the event has raised a total of $86 million since 1984.
Jones and Watkins even placed a friendly wager on who could sell and deliver the most ice cream to local businesses and with Jones being the victor, Watkins donned a jokers’ hat.
“Here ye here ye,” he proclaimed.
“Let it be known that in the year 2011, Al Jones is a superior fund raiser to myself and a true champion of the Children’s Hospital. My admiration for his talents and abilities know no boundaries.”
He followed this with the song For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.
Mayor Peter Brown and Alderman Ron Chapman congratulated Jones and Watkins and thanked them for their hard work.
“I would like to thank the residents of Airdrie for stepping up to do this,” said Brown.
“I was working the drive-thru for about three or four hours and there were people coming through buying five Blizzards to help the cause.”
Chapman said the winner of the 50/50 draw donated his portion, more than $1,000, back to the cause.
