Miracle Treat Day Inspires

Miracle Treat Day Thursday by all accounts will likely be a record breaker thanks to you. We are constantly in awe of the generosity of our listeners and the fine people who call this region of the country home, and we know the kids we introduce you to are a large part of the reason for your generosity. The picture above is Olivia Haugan. She's 6 and a cancer survivor that you've met through our Radiothon's. She's cancer free now and joined Jeff Harkness Thursday afternoon at 8th & Kiwanis Dairy Queen to help get the word out about Miracle Treat Day. The one day set aside across the country where participating Dairy Queen's pledge a minimum of $1 from every Blizzard sold to Children's Miracle Network. I say 'minimum', because several DQ's pledge ALL the proceeds from Blizzards and Blizzard coupons sold that day to CMN like the store I was at in the morning at 26th & Marion Road with another one of our Radiothon hero's and a member of Crash's Crew (and charter member of Amelia's Army!) Amelia Gammeter.

Meanwhile in Madison, South Dakota, population 6,474 in the 2010 census, Dairy Queen owner DeLon Mork has set the standard not only for the region, but for the entire COUNTRY over the past half dozen years or so. You read that right. The Madison, SD Dairy Queen sells more Blizzards and Blizzard coupons on Miracle Treat Day than any other store in the United States. It's something DeLon takes very seriously as he and his team start filling orders the night before, set up a ircus-like atmosphere in their parking lot complete with a concert and begin pre-selling the Blizzard coupons and taking orders so they are ready for the big day. His goal this year was to sell 40,000. Again, a goal of 40,000 in a town of about 6500. That's a pretty lofty goal. So lofty that several members from Dairy Queen International were in town yesterday to see just what Sanford Children's is doing (since our region outpaces the rest of the U.S. too!) and in particular, what DeLon and his incredible team are doing in Madison. So what was the grand tally yesterday?

That's not a typo. 47,638 Blizzards and Blizzard coupons were sold at the Madison, SD Dairy Queen alone.

Again, we can't say it enough. THANK YOU for making miracles happen for sick and injured kids in our region. You're the best.