The namesake of Wendy’s Restaurants will be in town for an extra-special version of the annual Wendy’s DreamLift Day later this month.
Wendy Thomas, daughter of company founder the late Dave Thomas is expected to stop in Penticton during her visit to the Southern Interior as part of the fundraising celebrations. This year’s 18th annual event is expected to top the cumulative $1 million mark.
Wendy’s and the Sunshine Foundation of Canada, a fully independent national charity team up each year to raise money to make dreams come true for children between three and 18 challenged by severe physical disabilities and life-threatening illness.
Through the program the young people selected have an opportunity to participate in the DreamLift to Disneyland program. The most recent trip was last month and the next is planned for late 2013.
On Jan. 25 all the day’s sales along with staff, management and owner’s wages of the nine participating restaurants will go into the fund. During the day a number of local celebrities will be volunteering at the franchise locations. Along with those volunteers will be five members of the Orange County (Cal.) Sheriffs Department. Returning to Penticton this year will be Capt. Linda Solorza who was here for the fundraiser in 2011. Other officers will be in Kamloops, Vernon, Salmon Arm and Kelowna/West Kelowna.
The restaurants will be open from 6 a.m. until closing.