Timothy Dillard of Red Level collected 7 gallon of aluminum pop tabs that will be donated to Ronald McDonald House for the fast food restaurant’s annually scheduled Pop Tab Pandemonium Day next week.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama is a non-profit organisation that helps keep families close and closer to the medical attention their child requires through three main programs. The three programs include The Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham and the two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, and the Happy Wheels Cart. It is the Ronald McDonald House provides a welcoming environment for families and their children who receive medical care from Children’s of Alabama, UAB or any other local hospitals. The Ronald McDonald House provides guests with the comforts of home as well as a helpline to concentrate on the healing process of their children.
“This program is available to local schools and teaches children on recycling as well as charitable organisations. They are taught what it means giving back to the local community which is what makes it such a thrilling experience. Every year, we do this and is our Southeast hosts in Montgomery. Everyone is saving the pop tabs and we’re here today to say thank you to those who have saved pop tabs and then donating them to local McDonald’s. The tabs will be weighed during the celebration, and one check will be handed over for Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House from all the donations,” Murphy Family Restaurants Director of Marketing and Community Outreach Eddie Byrd said.
It’s the third year for Pop Tab Pandemonium Day will be held on Wednesday May 3 from 11 a.m. until three p.m. at an McDonald’s location along Atlanta Highway in Montgomery. Pop tabs can drop off every Murphy Family Restaurants establishment, including the Andalusia location, in order for Byrd to pick up for the celebration.
Based on Byrd, a pop tab measures 1 inch in length, and 1,280 tabs are required for 1 pounds. 13536 lbs of pop tabs can provide a family with a home for one evening at the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham. Nine hundred fifty pounds will accommodate the family for a full week.
Dillard stated that collecting the tabs was a simple method to assist others.
“I began collecting tabs after the pandemic. I was working from home and decided to do something for the community,” Dillard said.
“I am eager to see these numbers and the number of lives Timothy has helped save. We’ll find out how many nights he’s helping families stay free of charge and aid their families in healing,” Byrd added.
The other Covington County resident, Billy Johnson from Andalusia and Andalusia, donated to the non-profit group with 200 Gallons of tabs from pop earlier in the year.
Pop Tab Pandemonium Pop Tab Pandemonium is a school-based event that takes place every year across Alabama. Schools that participate collect pop tabs during the year and then donate these to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama.
The event saw 2,188.61 pounds of weight collected throughout the state, with 658 pounds collected at the 2022 festival.
An estimated 1,447 families have been staying in the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham to date in 2023 comprising 533 families from 12 counties that are part of the Murphy Family Restaurants.
“Our French fry distributor gave the equivalent of a penny for each pound French fries we bought and they paid $29,465.26 to us in our names. We bought more than 2.9 millions of pounds of french fries at our 30 years at McDonald’s. We gave away $14,916.96 through our Penny per Happy Meal program, and sold more than 1.4 million Happy Meals. We are very proud to give back to our community and donate towards our local Ronald McDonald House since we have a large number of families who stay there while traveling to Birmingham to receive medical treatment. It’s important to give back to our local community as well as the generosity of Mr. Murphy’s generosity enables us to do so,” Byrd said.
Andalusia McDonald’s Assistant Manager Mandi Tompkins was employed by Murphy Family Restaurants for 15 years. She is among 98 employees employed at the restaurant.
“We have a great team of employees working to support The Murphys at my shop. I began in the Enterprise store as a cashier, and I absolutely enjoy my job. I could not ask for better employees to work for,” Tompkins said.
For more details about pop-tab recycling, go to rmhca.org/poptab.
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