Bob and Jan Chisholm, local franchise owners of McDonald’s restaurant present One Kids Place with the proceeds from McHappy Day.
One Kids Place (OKP) got more then they bargained for when Bob and Jan Chisholm owners of the area McDonald’s restaurants presented a cheque for $19,432.00 Wednesday from the McHappy Day campaign. Following last week’s event the Chisholm’s initial report was that $18,000 had been raised, but when the last penny had been counted the grand total had a significant increase.
“We feel very good … It is a great cause and it's a great group of people,” states Bob Chisholm.
“They have a big tough job to do and kids aren't the easiest ones to figure out what’s wrong with and diagnose them.”
Judy Sharpe, Executive Director of One Kids Place, says she is thrilled with the response of the community in making the day the success it was.
“Well, I think first of all the money is always great and the community support, specifically, Bob and Jan and all the work they've done on behalf of Macdonald's and embracing the Children's Treatment Centre.”
“We are really pleased that with the additional funding we can certainly look forward to planning more play opportunities in new facilities which of course is what McDonald's is all about.”
Chisholm says it is easy to get behind the centre because he understands the importance of the role the highly trained staff of OKP play to make the community healthy.
“A lot of the very specially trained people here work awfully hard to try and figure out what is the real challenge, because there's a danger and a frustration if you miss diagnose or over diagnose. And a lot of the people that do this kind of work spend a lot of time just making sure they get it right.”
Chisholm also adds that McHappy day embraces the cornerstones of the McDonalds brand by encompassing everything they hold important.
“Three things that we always pull together are our customers, our employees, and our community those are the three cornerstones to our business, and you can’t do one without the other,” he explains.
“So the customers really came through on the day, donated money, (also) before the event our employees worked awfully hard to raise money at barbecues and car washes … and then this allows us to turn around and help our community.”
Chisholm is especially proud to help kids and keep the money in the region he lives and works in.
“I think it's really important when you raise money, if you can keep 100% of it in your backyard, it really helps extra special. Nothing against the national campaigns that need money too, but this is going to help the people of our district.”
Sharpe says without that type of support demonstrated by the Chisholm's and the community they could offer the services they do.
“I think this is the difference that OKP is making in the community. When we look at some of the other work that's being done, the Children's Treatment Centre is here because of the community,” she says.
“The community worked hard, the families, the parents, the providers of service, agencies, boards, members and municipality MPP… the whole community embraced the concept and worked to bring it to fruition.”
Sharpe adds that OKP is looking forward to their new site as they have outgrown the interim site.
