2021 Annual Partnership Report

“We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of DQ and its Franchisees, crews and fans year after year,” says Saifa Koonar, President and CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. “There’s something very special about a donation that comes from workplace teams wanting to do something good for families who live and work in their communities, and it’s truly wonderful that this kind of generosity is part of a company’s corporate culture. DQ’s continued support enables us to invest in state-of-the-art equipment, family-centred programs and ground-breaking research that ensures kids and families in our community have access to the best care possible when they need it most.”

The Dairy Queen franchise in Duncan, British Columbia doubled its pre-COVID Miracle Treat Day fundraising total, raising more than $10,200 for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation this year. Staff sold nearly 1,300 Blizzards in one day, which “kept us all running,” restaurant owner Travis Berthiaume told the Cowichan Valley Citizen, a local paper. Originally from Alberta, Berthiaume says he is working to bring some of that province’s Miracle Treat Day spirit to BC. “Miracle Treat Day is like a holiday in Alberta,” he told the Citizen. Berthiaume has many reasons for supporting CMN efforts in Duncan: “Not only is this a great cause and a way to help sick kids and future sick kids, but it’s a way to make your staff proud of where they work. It’s a reminder to the community that we as DQ franchisees are local and that the money we raise stays in BC, helping our own province’s children’s hospital — which in my opinion is the greatest charity there is.”

Over time, DQ efforts in Eastern Ontario have raised more than $2 million for the CHEO Foundation — with Miracle Treat Day and Round Up for the Kids anchoring the fundraising calendar. One exceptionally supportive franchisee, Anne Lim, has a history of donating hundreds of Blizzards to CHEO staff and patients on Miracle Treat Day, even personally delivering the treats. Noman Hussain, a DQ business consultant, shares Lim’s enthusiasm: “Dairy Queen’s partnership with CHEO and the enthusiasm amongst our restaurants to raise maximum funds is inspiring and I want to always do everything possible to support our restaurants with this initiative. Anything we can do to touch children’s lives and create a positive experience is an honour.”

Despite the many challenges of the pandemic — from staff shortages to supply chain issues to shifting rules and regulations — DQ franchisees in Eastern Ontario worked hard to make this another successful fundraising year. They not only made Miracle Treat Day happen, they made it as energetic and optimistic as ever. CHEO Foundation visits to DQ restaurants were filled with fun, laughter and plans to make 2022 the best year yet.

Dawn Anderson is one of many Dairy Queen franchise owners who have remained steadfast in supporting local children’s hospitals — even as her business has navigated the disruptions and uncertainties of the pandemic, including shifting rules, dining room shutdowns, staffing changes and operational challenges. Amid all this, Dawn has never wavered in her compassion for sick and injured children or her commitment to helping Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre. In addition to participating in Miracle Treat Day and other on-site fundraising, Dawn supports the Children’s Health Foundation’s annual Children’s Golf Classic by supplying golfers with a sweet treat to enjoy during their round. For Dawn, the reason is obvious. “The children and their families are our friends and customers. Supporting Children’s Hospital makes us feel connected to our community and the people in it who are in need of support.” There’s also something special about seeing one-time patients years later: “We all feel proud when we see former patients thriving as adults, knowing we made a difference in their lives.”

DQ franchises across the Maritimes continued to find new ways to support the IWK Foundation, whether that meant innovating in their fundraising practices or calling in favours to staff up for Miracle Treat Day (MTD). The franchise in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia generated enthusiasm on MTD by entering every customer who bought a Blizzard into a draw to win a large DQ cake. In New Brunswick, several restaurants reported that their MTD events would not have been possible without the support of volunteers and former employees who pitched in to help. Communities in the region consistently work to make MTD a success, often for the same reason that drives John Starratt, a DQ franchisee in Truro and Stewiacke, Nova Scotia: “Both my kids have needed this facility over the years and I’ve often thought how lucky we are to have a world-class children’s hospital right here in the Maritimes.” The gratitude flows both ways, says Jennifer Gillivan, President & CEO of the IWK Foundation: “As one of our most loyal partners, we are so grateful to DQ for continuing to raise funds to support the Maritime kids and families who rely on the IWK.”

Pandemic-related health restrictions continued to make many fundraising and promotional activities difficult or impossible in 2021. But with careful work, George Haynes, restaurant manager at Dairy Queen Southlands, managed to facilitate a safe and effective media launch for Miracle Treat Day, in collaboration with the Janeway Foundation. George made extensive efforts to attract as much attention for the initiative as possible while ensuring the safety of employees, media and Janeway patient ambassador Kaleb Slaney and his family.

George’s daughter and employee Courtney acted as spokesperson, explaining to the media why her dad and their team are so committed to fundraising for the Janeway. “We truly believe that all kids should have the resources and equipment they need to help with each individual’s recovery,” she says. “Most of all, it gives the family the peace of mind that they can stay in their own province if the equipment is available. Any way that we, as a team, can help purchase this equipment ends up being a win-win for all of us!” The family’s efforts helped to ensure that everyone felt welcome and safe — while giving Miracle Treat Day an important boost.

Miracle Treat Day is a highly anticipated campaign in Manitoba every year. Although the date was moved from August to October for COVID-related reasons, Manitoba DQs managed to achieve pre-pandemic levels of engagement, despite the colder weather. Children’s hospital ambassadors visited a number of local Dairy Queens, meeting franchise teams and picking up a Blizzard, of course. Dr. Goodbear, our local Children’s Hospital mascot, had an especially busy day, visiting eight locations in the Winnipeg area — a record for the active bear. Across all the DQs Dr. Goodbear and the ambassadors visited, they found crew members pouring their hearts into the event: dressing up, decorating restaurants and even busting out TikTok dance moves. Their enthusiasm makes all the difference, says Children’s Hospital of Manitoba Foundation President and CEO Stefano Grande: “The success of this event cannot be achieved without the support of our highly engaged franchisees and Dairy Queen crew members. Thank you, DQ, for being true champions in our community.”

Dairy Queens across south-central Ontario embraced Miracle Treat Day in October and rallied to raise funds for McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation (MCHF). Several franchisees also led fundraising activities throughout the year. Jayne in Waterdown encouraged DQ customers to round up their purchase totals throughout the year, and introduced vouchers redeemable for a Blizzard treat, with proceeds supporting the Foundation. In Caledonia, franchisees Rich and Karen collaborated with local radio DJs and created a Blizzard treat flavour contest, which drove additional support. In Brantford, Ken, who owns three locations, demonstrated his commitment to the Foundation by fundraising in-store and supporting MCHF events.

In Oakville, Bryan welcomed customers to his newly renovated restaurant that includes a feature wall highlighting the location’s support for CMN and MCHF. By encouraging donations from every customer, Bryan and his motivated staff raised more than $20,000 in 2021 – a record. Bryan’s motivation is simple and powerful: “We chose to support MacKids after our son’s life was in serious jeopardy. We saw first-hand how a life-changing event can affect families and communities. We are proud and privileged to support and work with everyone associated with MacKids.”

Caroline Chartand, operator of two Montreal-area DQ franchises, goes beyond Canada-wide fundraising initiatives and consistently requests promotional items from Opération Enfant Soleil (OES) that her team can sell to raise extra funds for Quebec children’s hospitals. She also encourages her teams to wear costumes and create a celebratory atmosphere on Miracle Treat Day. The more engaging the atmosphere, the better the results for sick and injured kids. “It’s always a pleasure to help kids in need,” says Caroline. “We will also make a personal donation to add to our total amount donated.”

Julie Lemieux, President and CEO of OES, knows the power of these personal commitments. “It’s inspiring to see the Dairy Queen family mobilize and be so passionately committed to the well-being of Quebec’s children. Despite the unusual situation [of COVID-19], they were able to adapt. Their deep dedication showed that children’s health is their priority. We thank them for their dedication.”

OES-DQ-Telethon-Interview

James and his mother made a video to motivate and thank all DQ QC franchisees for supporting OES.

Jim Pattison Hospital Foundation’s 2021-22 Champion Child Torrie Schaffer and her family visited their local Dairy Queen in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan on Miracle Treat Day to thank the restaurant crew for their support. DQ manager Kelly treated the Schaffers to lunch and invited them to enjoy the festive atmosphere as DQ crew members and fans energetically raised funds for the Foundation. Similar efforts across the province help to ensure that the best health care is there when Saskatchewan kids and families need it, says Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We are extremely grateful to Dairy Queen franchisees who support us to ensure we can continue to provide the best maternal and children’s health care across Saskatchewan. Thanks to the partnerships with franchisees and their fans, we can fund critical provincial maternal and children’s programs, innovative research and urgently needed equipment.”

Beginning in 2008, Raymond Hardisty began raising funds for the SickKids Foundation through balloon sales, bottle drives and other grassroots fundraising initiatives. An employee of the Schaap’s, Wasaga Beach DQ and a past Miracle Child, he raised $31,403 in 2021 and achieved a cumulative fundraising total of $109,110. Here’s how Raymond himself describes what happened next:

“On November 18th, I received one of the biggest honours of my life. I learned that I am the recipient of the Beacon of Hope award for 2021. The Beacon of Hope award is presented every other year to a DQ franchisee, crew member or franchise centre staff member who demonstrates determination, compassion, courage and selflessness in support of SickKids Hospital. I am truly honoured to be recognized for all of my hard work and my fundraising efforts for SickKids Hospital and CMN over the years. Let’s Make a Difference. Let’s Make Miracles Happen!!!!” To learn more about Raymond’s reasons for giving, watch this video.

Dairy Queen Canada continued to pivot effectively amid the ongoing pandemic, moving Miracle Treat Day to October. All franchisees were deeply invested in raising money for The Stollery — and once again, Northern Alberta DQs led the country, raising over $500,000. To make sure Stollery patients shared in the fun, franchisee Kerry Wade donated Blizzards for kids at all three Stollery Children’s Hospital locations in Edmonton and St. Albert.

Meanwhile, two franchise groups in the Stollery region — Michael Liber’s franchise in Sherwood Park and the Cardinal/Fylyshtan ownership group – hit an astonishing milestone this year, reaching $1 million in total cumulative giving. Peter White, Executive Vice President at DQ Canada flew out to celebrate at the Cardinal/Fylyshtan DQ alongside a grateful Mike House, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation’s President and CEO. “We are so grateful to our partners at Dairy Queen for their generous commitment to children’s health,” says House. Marc Cardinal’s motivation for giving is one that’s familiar to many CMN supporters. “What really triggered us wanting to get involved more and more was when I became a parent myself,” said Mr. Cardinal, who has three children between the ages of 6 and 10. “As a parent you say, ‘I’m glad I haven’t had to use the hospital, but if I ever need it, I want to make sure it’s the best and it’s in my backyard.’”