This May, 16 hockey and 8 soccer teams gathered in Kelowna, BC to participate in the 15th Annual McElhanney Cares Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon (RMH BC) Charity Tournament.
Fueled by a spirit of friendly competition and driven by McElhanney’s shared value of caring for our communities, the teams not only met their ambitious fundraising goal of $100,000, but surpassed it by raising an incredible $121,502! This donation to Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon will help keep families close by providing 800 nights of comfort and 15,000 meals at the House for families facing the serious illness of a child.
To join the tournament, each team contributed a minimum donation of $1,000 and then engaged in independent fundraising efforts to boost their total contributions. The event saw 24 teams with a combined 360 participants, competing in 24 hockey games and 12 soccer games.
Since its inception, this event has contributed more than $800,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of BC & Yukon Charity, with every dollar from the tournament directly supporting families staying at Ronald McDonald House.
“The McElhanney Cares Hockey and Soccer Tournament is one of the largest community fundraising events of the year, where 100% of the proceeds directly benefit Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon,” says Richard Pass, CEO, at RMH BC. “A third of the 2,000 families we serve annually come from the interior, which is why this tournament connects with so many families locally.”
“With heartfelt congratulations and gratitude, we thank all the teams, participants, volunteers, and organizers who made this year’s tournament a resounding success,” says Brad Elenko, Okanagan Planning Division Manager and lead organizer of the event. “McElhanney is proud to celebrate this achievement with you while giving back to the families in the communities we call home. See you next year!”
About Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon
When the unthinkable happens and a family is uprooted for their child’s critical medical treatment, there are many barriers they must overcome to stay together. Hotel stays are expensive, siblings need to be cared for, and staying in the hospital long-term is unsustainable. That’s where Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon comes in, providing accommodation, comfort, compassion, and a sense of community to these families in need:
- RMH BC is a “home away from home” for families who must travel to Vancouver for their child’s major medical treatment.
- RMH BC can accommodate 73 families each night and serves approximately 2,000 families each year.
- RMH BC is steps away from BC Children’s Hospital, which keeps families and their critically ill children close to treatment.
- Over 250 regular volunteers help run the House and its programs including art, music, and massage therapy, yoga, gardening, massage, movie nights, LEGO robotics, and more.
Learn even more about RMH BC here.
