Cold treats help kids when they need it most

A Dairy Queen Blizzard can bring a smile on a good day, but on Miracle Treat Day, that treat has the potential to bring hundreds of smiles with proceeds from sales going to Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital.

Stollery as young kids.

“We’re here because we’re Stollery kids,” said Dillan. “It’s good to be here to support other families who may be going through what we went through. We’ve done this for the past four years.” a lot of people who were very kind and friendly and wanted to help me out.”

The kids’ mom, Elizabeth, explained the kids first got involved with Miracle Treat Day as Dillan spent most of his baby and toddler years in the Stollery.

The Reids described the Stollery as a second home for Dillan at a young age as he once had a 287-day stretch where he didn’t leave.

“That was life until he was almost six years old,” said mom. “There were times when he said he missed going there. To him, it was a place to get help and make him feel better.”

This year’s Miracle Treat Day took place last Thursday and was nothing short of a success at the local level with over $18,000 raised.

For owner, Joanne Schiller and the rest of the DQ family, the event is a way to help kids when they need it most.

“All net proceeds from Blizzard sales go towards the Stollery Children’s Hospital, which we’re excited about,” said Schiller.

“This is our 21st year, so it’s been awesome.”

Schiller also noted community support over the years has always been very positive with over $20K raised last year for the Stollery.

“Northern Alberta Dairy Queen operators, which I’m a part of, raise the most money throughout Canada.”

A unique aspect of the day Schiller noted was the fact local kids who have spent time at the Stollery come and help make Blizzards as a way of giving back for the help they’ve received.

“I think we’ve had a family here every year for the last five years, and you get to know them,” she said.

“People also get to hear their stories and see how it affects the community.”

This year’s Miracle Treat Day saw help from the Reid family as siblings 14-year-old Dillan and 12-year-old Sophie spent time at the

“They asked us to become ambassadors when Dillan was about five, so we’ve been doing fundraising for the Stollery ever since,” she said.

“Sophie had a stroke in utero and started having seizures four years ago.”

For Dillan and Sophie, “It feels really good to help out here because they’ve helped us out so much over the years.”

“At the Stollery, there was a lot of support,” said Dillan. “There were