Miracles do not happen every day, but in Gray, thanks to the huge hearts of community members and local business owners, it appears a miracle happens at least once a year.
Justin Kelly, the owner of Dairy Queen in Gray, announced the most recent miracle at the close of business July 25. The Gray/Jones County community raised $123,677 in one day for the benefit of the young patients of the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital in Macon.
In a July 27 interview, Kelly reflected on the success of past four years of fundraisers and how raising money for the children’s hospital became personal. Since 2021, Gray’s Miracle Treat Day fundraising efforts have totaled more than $376,000.
Every time Jones County puts their minds to it, they knock it out of the park.
– Dairy Queen owner Justin Kelly The owner said every penny of that money is used to keep the children in that hospital as comfortable as possible while they are undergoing care.
“It doesn’t go to doctors, hospital bills or anything else. It goes to any kid who has a need. You can’t put your money to anything that’s better than that,” he said.
Kelly has owned the restaurant since 2020, and his first franchise Miracle Treat Day was scheduled for October of 2021. He said he got to know 16-year-old Emma Moseley, who was the ambassador and poster child for the Central Georgia area.
Moseley was a Jones County High School student and was suffering from bone cancer. Kelly said, when she died unexpectedly a month before the fundraiser, he wanted to do something to honor her.
That something turned out to be a decision to raise $50,000 for the hospital that cared for Emma and those who would come after her. Most Dairy Queen restaurants donate a dollar for each blizzard that is sold on Miracle Treat Day, but that was not going to reach the goal.
Kelly decided to give every penny brought into the restaurant on that day, and the momentum of his generosity took fire.
Dairy Queen employees decided to donate their salaries for the day, and local businesses and members of the community started stepping up. That first fundraiser exceeded the goal, and Kelly presented the hospital a check for $80,475 at a Jones County High School football game.
The owner said in 2022 he knew the economy was not great and he did not set a goal.
“I decided we would just do our best,” he said.
That year $81,000 was raised.
Last year Kelly said he was so worried he prepared the hospital that collections may not be good.
“We raised $91,000. Since we broke the $90,000 mark, this year we decided to go for $100,000, then we got to work to figure out how we could do that,” he said.
Over the past few years, several businesses and individuals had matched collections for the busiest hour of the day, and Kelly decided to expand on that.
“I asked for 20 businesses to step up to commit to match that busiest hour. By Wednesday night, there were 30,” the owner said.
With that base, and other initiatives that have been successful, he said he felt like the $100,000 mark was doable. At the conclusion of a Facebook live post that night, Kelly led a prayer for the success of the fundraiser.
July 25
Kelly started his thank-yous with the Dairy Queen “Dream Team,” who he said all went above and beyond.
“They hung in there, kept smiles on their faces, and pushed through.”
Next he talked about the Gray Police Department and Jones County Sheriff’s Office. He said he asked GPD for a patrol car to sit in the median in front of the funeral home with lights going to slow traffic. He asked the JCSO to set its MRAP vehicle in the parking lot and for a generator.
“In addition to what I asked for, Chief Adam Lowe sent three officers and Sheriff Butch Reece sent three deputies who stayed all day. They did anything asked of them, including loading deliveries and keeping traffic moving,” he said. “They are two world-class departments.”
Kelly said volunteers started arriving at 5 a.m. and took care of everything, including cleaning up inside and out, to allow the Dairy Queen crew to focus on getting the food out. He said that included delivering 4,000 blizzards in 45 minutes.
“That didn’t run as smoothly last year because I tried to do it. Cissie Hamlin said she had the blizzards this year, and she did,” he said. “I didn’t worry about a thing.”
The owner said store sales were $5,000 more for the day than last year. The busiest hour of the day was from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., and he said the intake for that hour was $3,700. He pointed out that a lot of the businesses that committed to match that busiest hour were small businesses.
Kelly said because of that the amount was capped at $2,000.
“They are going to feel that. I know they are truly giving until it hurt,” he said.
The owner was very appreciative to all the media sponsors who helped advertise the event and covered it throughout the day Thursday. And then there is Laura Starling with WDEN who lives in Jones County and always steps up for Jones County events.
In addition to advertising and broadcasting from the location, she also did her own fundraiser to add to the bottom line.
“Laura is a trailblazer for Jones County and backs it 100 percent. We have a true jewel with her,” Kelly said.
The owner said he feels the fundraiser is the first event where people were able to unite for a cause since the Relay for Life.
“People look forward to coming together, and they are going to make it happen for the kids,” he said. “Every time Jones County puts their minds to it, they knock it out of the park.”
