All for sick kids and their families....

Most of you who know me well know that a good chunk of my life has been spent in one way or another with Dairy Queen. You know, I started working at one in high school -- worked there for awhile. Then, I went to college and graduated with a business degree. About two months after my college graduation, I landed a job with the big DQ corporation and worked there for 10 years. After Luke was born, we decided the travel involved with my corporate job wouldn't be good for our family, so I left. Now, for almost the past year, I've worked at a DQ store in Wichita -- very part-time. I've been working as a training and marketing manager.

So, I figure I better make some sort of blog post, talking a bit about my job.

Many of you ask what a DQ Grill and Chill is....I like to describe it as a "Panera Bread meets Fuddrucker's." Basically, it's DQ's new image. It's a remodeled DQ. It's an upscale DQ of sorts. It's a nice, modern looking restaurant that serves wonderful DQ burgers and of course, wonderful DQ soft serve products. The particular location I'm working at is in northeast Wichita. It is officially a DQ Grill and Chill. Here's the actual sign.



Anyways, on to the real important part of this post....

DQ, as a system, has supported an organization called Children's Miracle Network (CMN) since 1984. In that time, the system has raised over $77 Million for CMN. The money that each location raises actually stays in the community. In other words, where I work, the money raised at that location actually stays in Wichita to help Wichita and surrounding area sick kids and their families.

For this area, Via-Christi is our Children's Miracle Network hospital. If you're reading this and not in the Wichita area, there are 169 other Children's Miracle Network hospitals in the USA and Canada.

Here are some other important CMN facts:

**CMN hospitals treat 98% of all children needing heart or lung transplants.
**They treat 88% of all children with cancer.
**They treat 76% of all children with cystic fibrosis.
**They treat 90% of all children with sickle cell anemia.
**They treat 72% of all children with pediatric AIDS.

I could go on and on and on and on about the importance of CMN.

For quite a few years now, participating DQs throughout North America, during the summertime, sell "Miracle Balloons." Here's what they look like this year -- very similar to years past.



Each balloon cost $1, and 100% of that $1 goes to CMN. Then, in return, you receive some coupons to DQ. This year's a great deal. You donate $1 to CMN, and you receive $2 in coupons to DQ.

The DQ I am working at is VERY MUCH participating in this event. We started selling them the other day. We will be selling them through early August. The top three employee sellers will receive some prizes.

Here are four employees, displaying the balloons.



We're finding places in the store to display all of the balloons. Right now, we're hanging them underneath the menuboard...



And, we're hanging them in the drive-thru window. Here are two employees (Kathy and Kyle) hanging their head out of the drive-thru window with the balloons above them.



AND, the biggest day of the year will be August 13. That's a Thursday this year. We've been doing this for several years, and this year's no different. On that one day, 100% of the proceeds from each Blizzard sold will be donated to CMN. **Of course, what I just said applies to participating DQs. And, once again, the store I'm working at does participate 100%. Yeah!

So, if you're in the area on August 13, swing by for a Blizzard. Sick kids and their families may just benefit from your donation.

We already put the banner up the other day (it's the bottom banner in this photo).