Mchappy Day 2009 Raises Over $2m

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15th November 2009, 04:14am - Views: 901





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Celebrities ‘Take Orders’ on McHappy Day to Raise over $2M

for Australia’s Seriously ill Children

Rachael Finch, Kylie Gillies and Michael Slater Serve Up Smiles to

McDonald’s Customers


McHappy Day, one of Australia’s longest running charity days

raised over $2million

for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) on Saturday 14 November. More than

800 celebrities and local VIPs donned aprons and took drive-thru orders at close to

800 McDonald’s restaurants across Australia, including Celebrity Masterchef

contestant Rachael Finch, The Morning Show host Kylie Gillies and Home and Away

cast members who adopted a store on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.


McHappy Day is the largest annual fundraising event for Ronald McDonald House

Charities (RMHC), an independent charity that creates, finds and supports programs

across Australia that help seriously ill children and their families. 

“We are extremely thankful for the amazing turnout and community support this

year,” said Malcolm Coutts, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

“Because McDonald’s Australia pays all administration and management costs for

RMHC, every dollar donated goes directly to programs benefiting seriously ill

children and their families. This year the Ronald McDonald Houses

provided a

home away from home for over 5,000 families. McHappy Day donations will enable

us to help even more families in 2010.”

Celebrities who worked in-restaurant on the day also included former Australian

cricketer Michael Slater, Bondi Vet

Dr Chris Brown, Bondi

Rescue surf lifesavers,

Getaway presenter Jason Dundas, Collingwood AFL player Tarkyn Lockyer, former

Olymipic swimmer Elka Graham, former Australian cricketer Justin Langer and even

the cast of the hit musical Wicked.

“As a former McDonald’s employee, it

was great fun to be in the restaurant on

McHappy Day! Although it felt strange to be autographing takeaway orders at the

drive-thru –

I’ve never been asked to do that before!,” said Rachael Finch, McHappy

Day Ambassador and Celebrity Masterchef contestant.

On McHappy Day, $1 from every Big Mac, 10 cents from every Happy Meal, $2 from

every McCafé Byron Bay Cookie House box and profits from every $3 Crazy Straw

went directly to RMHC. Further contributions were made by the community via


People Feature McDonald's 3 image

In the past 18 years, money raised on McHappy Day has gone towards RMHC

programs such as building and maintaining 13 Ronald McDonald Houses across

the country (which provide a home-away-from-home for the families of seriously ill

children being treated at nearby hospitals); the establishment of the Ronald

McDonald Learning Program which provides free tuition for children who have

missed lengthy periods of

schooling due to serious illness; the RMHC Cord Blood

Bank program, which provides life-saving cord blood used mainly to treat childhood

cancers; and the establishment of five Ronald McDonald Family Retreats.


For further information, or to arrange an interview or photo, please contact:

Meghann Dengate




Rebecca Cressman

Professional Public Relations 


Professional Public Relations

(02) 9818 09311 / 0409 901 809


(02) 9818 0905 / 0402 671 011

mdengate@ppr.com.au                        

rcressman@ppr.com.au



Fast Facts – McHappy Day and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC):


In Australia:


Ronald McDonald Houses are a home away from home and give families the opportunity to

stay together to support their sick child.


Today there are 13 Ronald McDonald Houses across Australia providing affordable

accommodation for families with seriously ill children being treated in nearby major women’s

and children’s hospitals in each state. 


Since 1981, Ronald McDonald Houses have provided over 62,300 families with more than 1.7

million bed nights.


This year the Ronald McDonald Houses

will provide a home away from home for over 5,000

families.







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