[News Article] McDonald's Family Walking Festival raises money for Ronald McDonald House
McDonald's Family
Walking Festival raises money for Ronald McDonald House
BY CHOI HAE-JIN, Korea
JoongAng Daily - 3,000 participants took part in the 2024 McDonald's Family
Walking Festival on Sunday, a charity event with a participation fee ranging
from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won that will be donated to a nonprofit
organization associated with the fast food chain. The participants
walked around Seoul World Cup Park Peace Plaza in western Seoul from 9 a.m. to
1 p.m. together with bright yellow T-shirts and white hats. The festival was
hosted by McDonald's Korea and sponsored by partners including Maeil Dairy,
Ottogi, Coca-Cola, Del Monte, John Cook Deli Meats, Shinsegae Food, Ganong Bio,
CJ CheilJedang and Pulmuone. To mark the month of
May, widely considered "Family Month" in Korea, the event is intended
to support children facing serious health challenges in the community, with
admission fees worth 116 million won donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities
(RMHC) Korea, a nonprofit organization partnered with McDonald's Korea. RMHC provides
housing for children with serious illnesses who require long-term treatment and
their families, enabling them to stay near their medical care centers and focus
on their treatment. May is known as
"Family Month" for containing three special days — Children’s Day on
May 5, Parents’ Day on May 8, and Teachers’ Day on May 15. Beginning with
welcoming remarks from McDonald's Korea CEO Kim Ki-won, participants started
stretching with the Doosan Bears' cheerleading team including fan favorite Park
Ki-ryang. The walking course
spanning four kilometers (2.5 miles) incorporated various themed zones to
enhance the experience and keep spirits high. During the walk, the
participants were able to revel in a myriad of fun activities such as a
cheer-up zone, where the sound of drums and energetic music provided an
uplifting boost to walkers, and a bubble zone that welcomed delighted children
who were fascinated with the clouds of shimmering bubbles floating around them. Korean celebrities
and athletes also took part in the event, including Pengsoo, the popular
penguin character from public broadcaster EBS’ Giant Peng TV show, who excited
kids with his playful personality, as well as singer Yook Joong-wan, actor Kim
Kwang-kyu, fencing gold medalist Kim Jun-ho and marathon runner Lee Bong-joo. Korean fans of
McDonald's expressed strong interest in the fast food chain's "Taste of
Korea" booth as it showcased past "Taste of Korea" menu items,
allowing visitors to see the evolution of the localized offerings throughout
the years. Other exhibits were
also a hit with kids, creating an atmosphere of excitement and joy. The RMHC
Korea booth was particularly popular, with a long line of eager children
waiting their turns to enjoy a vibrant, colorful bouncy house as the air filled
with the sounds of laughter from those jumping and playing inside. RMHC Korea
also offered free cotton candy, attracting even more young visitors. Nearby, Maeil
Dairy's booth had set up an instant film camera, capturing the smiles and
joyful moments of families and friends. Participants lined up to have their
photos taken, as they wanted to capture their memorable experiences at the
event. Through the event,
McDonald's Korea has raised 116 million won, which will be used to help build
an Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Seoul. The first RMH in
Korea opened in 2019 at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital in Yangsan,
South Gyeongsang. Source:https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-26/business/industry/McDonalds-Family-Walking-Festival-raises-money-for-charity-house/2054192
2024.05.28