McHappy Day in the Okanagan changing lives one Big Mac at a time

It’s an event that makes both customers and kids happy year after year.

On Wednesday, McDonald's in Canada, including the Okanagan, will be celebrating their 23rd Annual McHappy Day.

Restaurants from West Kelowna to Lake Country will be giving back locally, with $1 from the sale of every McCafe, Big Mac sandwich and Happy Meal going to local Boys and Girls Clubs and Ronald McDonald Charities.

Since the event started, McHappy Day has raised more than $51 million for Canadian children.

This year McHappy Day will support Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs “Safe Place to Belong” initiative.

Richelle Leckey, community engagement coordinator for the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, said they’re amazing partnership with McDonald's in Central Okanagan, allows them to do so much as an organization.

“For us, that means that we will be using the funds that we’ve raised to provide our children, youth and families a safe place to belong in our programs," she said. "We believe that we can give kids the opportunity to discover, dream and grow to be successful individuals."

Specifically, the money goes to supplies, equipment and resources needed to offer kids leadership programs, recreation programs, and other programs that will benefit their life skills, like cooking classes.

They also support youth at risk, running the only youth shelter between Vancouver and Calgary.

“To continue to run that program we need to raise money,” she said.

All day, their staff, kids and volunteers will be on location at McDonald's across the Okanagan, greeting customers and putting on activities for kids and families.

There are two location in West Kelowna, five in Kelowna and one in Lake Country.

“Each of our clubs go and support each of the locations,” said Leckey.

“We’ll be along for the ride, supporting the staff at McDonald's who are working for us,” said Leckey.

Last year, the Okanagan locations together raised over $41,000 on McHappy Day. As of Monday, they’ve already raised $22,000. Leckey said they’ve seen the event grow every year.

“There were years where they would raise $22,000 on McHappy Day and that was that, so they are working very hard, in a big way, to make this a successful day,” she said.

McDonald's has been warming up for the big day by selling paper Ronald Shoes, McHappy Day Hero Socks, and accepting cash donations.

Leckey said the day means to much to the children who benefit from it.

“Each and every day, we have the opportunity to change kid’s lives for the better,” she said. “Donations that come through McHappy Day, and other fundraisers we do, allow us to be able to provide the quality programs that help kids to become successful and safe.

“If they didn’t have some place to go, who knows where they’d be.”

Leckey said they hear stories all the time, of youth who have benefited from their programs and support, along with the relationships they’ve fostered.

“There are lots of kids who just need a little extra support in a variety of ways,” she said. “The experiences they’ve had, as far as the activities we do, have made all the difference in their lives.”

Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, which has been going since 1959, help more than 7,000 young people and their families each year.

Besides getting involved in McHappy Day, you can also donate to the “Safe Place to Belong” Campaign at the Boys and Girls Clubs website.