IN PICTURES: Albany community show up to support McHappy Day, raise more than $3000 for Ronald McDonald House

Albany residents showed up for McHappy Day on Saturday to buy a burger in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities, with the annual fundraiser making thousands to support sick children around Australia. McHappy Day celebrations in Albany raised more than $3000, with donations still being counted on Monday morning. McDonald’s Albany manager Zente Wolfenden-Inwood has been co-ordinating McHappy Day events in Albany for the past five years, and hundreds of customers and community members turned out throughout the day to grab a Big Mac and donate to charity. The Sugar Boy candy store provided a jar of jelly beans for punters to guess the number of beans in the jar, with Lorraine Benson’s guess the closest, and Albany Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service crews brought their trucks and all their gear for children to try on and have a go with the fire hose. Albany MLA Scott Leary took a shift in the drive-through window, as did Albany VFRS’ Rob Daniels. The Albany McDonald’s team have been busy selling silly socks, bucket hats and Helping Hand donation stickers since October 15 to boost donations, adding to a total of more than $180,000 across the country as of Monday morning. In addition, $2 from the sale of every Big Mac on the day went to RMHC. Mr Wolfenden-Inwood said a host of Albany businesses had got on board to donate items or lend a hand on the day, including Paperbark Merchants, Frangipani Floral Studio, Woolworths Chester Pass Road, and Kmart Albany. “It’s a great day, and great to see so many people in the community showing up for charity and so many community businesses getting involved as well,” he said.