The lunch rush wasn't even half-way through on McHappy Day at Orange McDonald's on Bathurst Rd when volunteers needed to return to Ronald McDonald House Orange to pick up more of the donated teddies and quilts because they were selling out so quickly.
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The woollen items had been lovingly created by locals and donated to the house charity which provides accommodation to sick children and their families, McDonald's marketing manager Nikita Williams explained.
"All these things get donated to Ronald McDonald House Orange (RMH) and then they sell them at days like this and also donate to the families who come to the house because they've often been rushed to Orange Hospital. It's a really nice community (initiative)," she said.
McHappy Day was a little bit quieter at the local restaurant this year because of COVID-19 restrictions, Ms Williams explained. However some things were still done with the usual passion - including staff dressing up as well as all four restaurants that were owned by licensee Todd Bryant competing to see who could fundraise more for Ronald McDonald House in the one day.
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"Every $2 from every Big Mac sold between 6am and midnight goes to Ronald McDonald House," operations manager Awaiz Samuel Mall explained.
"The function goes until 2pm and then we do our count after that. That's when we count all the donation buckets and send it to Head Office."
Last year the four restaurants in Orange, Orange North, Bathurst and Kelso collectively raised $400,000 for the charity, Ms Williams said.
Since Orange's own RMH opened its doors in 2015, 783 families have been supported with free accommodation and meals while their children were receiving treatment at Orange Hospital.
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