To support the local Ronald McDonald Houses, Lewis Family McDonald’s, including Bluffton's McDonald's is offering small Shamrock Shakes for $1.25 from March 13‐17, and will donate 25 cents from each shake sold to our local Ronald McDonald Houses.
Here's the Shamrock Shake-Ronald McDonald House story
Since first launching in the U.S., the Shamrock Shake has built an almost cult‐like following. But the beloved minty green treat has another legacy that even its most loyal
fans may not know.
The customer‐favorite Shamrock Shake was sold in 1974 as a fundraiser to help build the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia. The network of Houses grew quickly after that, offering families around the world a way to stay together in proximity to the hospital where their child was being treated, and be comfortable and cared for during their stay.
The Shamrock Shake’s history began with a little girl, a football team, and a visionary doctor. When Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill's 3‐year‐old daughter, Kim, was being treated for leukemia in 1974, his life changed. He and his wife, Fran, camped out on hospital benches and sat in cramped waiting rooms during Kim's three years of treatment.
The Hills watched other parents and families of seriously ill children do the same thing. Many of the families had to travel long distances for their children to receive medical treatment and couldn't afford hotel rooms.
The Hills knew there had to be a solution. Fred rallied the support of his teammates to raise funds. Dr. Audrey Evans, head of the pediatric oncology unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, had long dreamed of a "home away from home" for families of children being treated at her hospital. Eagles’ general manager, Jim Murray, discovered the next promotion was Shamrock Shakes.
It was perfect: The milkshakes were green — the Eagles' color! The week‐long promotion around the Shamrock Shake raised enough funds to help buy an old four‐story, seven‐bedroom house Evans had found near the hospital. It opened in 1974 as the first Ronald McDonald House.
Now that's a reason to celebrate the return of the Shamrock Shake.
About McDonald’s
McDonald's USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 27 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. McDonald’s franchisee, Jerry Lewis, started in the McDonald’s business as a manager trainee in Zanesville, Ohio more than thirty years ago.
Today, he and his children own and operate 17 McDonald’s Restaurants employing more than 1000 individuals in Lima, Delphos, Van Wert, Beaverdam, Bluffton, Ada, Ottawa, Hicksville, Carey, and Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Lewis Family Restaurants believes in giving back to the communities in which they do business and supporting a variety of worthy causes. For more information, visit www.JerryLewisMcDonalds.com.
