Miracle Treats

Have you gotten a treat from Dairy Queen lately? If so, they may have asked you if you wanted to round up your change for donation to Children’s Miracle Network…or you may have paid $1 or $3 to purchase a “balloon” for Children’s Miracle Network.

Children’s Miracle Network is the charity chosen by Dairy Queens for it stores to participate in. And it all culminates on July 31, Miracle Treat Day. That day Dairy Queen will donate at least $1 from every blizzard sold to Children’s Miracle Network.

Dairy Queen in neighboring Gray gets the whole community involved, and they make mega-bucks for the children’s charity. Wouldn’t it be great if everybody got so involved?

Many businesses in Gray choose to donate to the cause, with the store owner challenging other businesses to take part and donate part of their proceeds to the cause. Last year, the Gray Dairy Queen raised some $81,000. That may be a lofty goal for our Dairy Queen, but we can be seen.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll use any excuse to treat myself to a blizzard, and the fact that the proceeds go to charity just makes it that much sweeter. Our Dairy Queen is a local treasure. Many people here can tell stories of growing up with the Dairy Queen. Things like how a young adults we circled the Dairy Queen looking for friends, riding from the Dairy Queen to the Square and back numerous times.

I’m sure other generations have their stories. Now, it’s a gathering place for retirees in the morning, and I don’t know who all throughout the day. I know my five-year-old granddaughter, and her friends meet up there on Friday afternoons after school.

I’ve heard stories of regulars, and been in the restaurant when regulars come in, and it’s amazing. The staff knows the customer, the customer knows the staff, and everyone is very friendly.

I’m sure you’ve noticed Dairy Queen is a regular advertiser in this newspaper, supporting local news and the local community. The store honors the player of the week each week during football season with notoriety in the newspaper and they also get a free meal!

They support the young people in town by giving many of them their first job, learning how to work in a professional setting. Some get it; others don’t.

And I’ve been talking about the sweet treats from D-Q, but that’s not all they have to offer. For example, we eat breakfast at work on Wednesdays, and we almost always order from Dairy Queen. Did you know they have lots of good breakfast items.

Holly sticks with the same thing…chicken biscuit, with hash browns and tea. The rest of us vary, sometimes getting grits and meat a la carte, and sometimes getting pancakes, biscuits and gravy, a breakfast burrito…you name it.

Lunchtimes, we don’t all go together hardly ever, but we all use Dairy Queen. My go-to is the fish sandwich or maybe a little burger. I’m not real keen on heavy hamburgers, but the small one is quite tasty! (I think it’s a kids burger, and I add lettuce, tomato and onion. I don’t see it on the menu, but they always know what I want and fix it for me.

Their chili-slaw dogs used to be my go-to, but they discontinued slaw, so the chili dog with onions will do, but I do miss the slaw.

Whatever it is, I’m sure glad Dairy Queen is a part of our community, and such a good corporate citizen. Join me in supporting their charitable cause, and treat yourself to a blizzard one of these hot days.