Miracle Treat Day in Gray did not disappoint, ending with another fund-raising record for the “Busiest Dairy Queen on Earth.”
DQ owner Justin Kelly made the announcement — at the conclusion of a long day July 31 — that the community had once again exceeded expectations by raising $180,000 for the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital.
Kelly used his Facebook page to say thank you to everyone who helped.
“I want to thank every volunteer who came out for Miracle Treat Day 2025 at DQ of Gray,” he said. “It takes a village to make an event like this happen, and it was an awesome sight to see so many people show up willing to do absolutely anything needed to raise money for the kids.”
The owner said 50 local businesses matched the top hour for sales, and countless others dropped off checks the day of the event.
“It would not be possible without you,” he said.
As successful as the day was, it was not without its challenges. However, each one was taken in stride as the DQ Dream Team carried on.
Kelly said, starting at 5:30 a.m., he discovered that a plug had melted off on an essential warmer, but Keith Roberts happened to be in the dining room eating.
“I went to Keith and said, ‘I need you buddy,’ and he had it fixed in about 15 minutes,” the owner recalled. “I should have known right there we were in for an adventure.”
Kelly said, during the day, the ice cream machine locked up, and the entire Dairy Queen cash register system nationwide crashed four times throughout the day. He said the stress of all the Miracle Treat Days was too much for it.
“Several pieces of equipment gave our staff a hard time as we were pressing everything we had to the very edge of what it was capable of doing. All I can say is a big thank you,” he added.
Kelly thanked the Gray Police Department and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, stating they are both 100 percent firstclass operations.
“It was the first day of school, and they were already stretched thin. They came together with plenty of manpower, plenty of equipment, cones, reader board signs, generators, lights, and anything it took to help keep our community as safe as possible while moving the crowd as efficiently as possible to raise the most money possible for the children’s hospital,” the owner said. “I can’t describe how proud I am to work alongside these men and women every year with one goal in mind.”
Kelly also thanked the media partners who helped get the word out. Those include Laura Starling, Vance Shepherd and the team at 99.1 WDEN, 13 WMAZ, WPGA ABC 58, Fox 24 News, 41 NBC WMGT, all Cumulus Media and The Jones County News.
The owner was personally recognized by Troy Bader, the President & CEO of International Dairy Queen, and presented the 2025 Local Corporate Person of the Year Award. Bader noted that Kelly’s efforts have raised more than $500,000 for the children’s hospital.
Bader was joined by Frances Fu, the chief financial officer of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, who presented Kelly with an award of her own.
Kelly accepted the awards on behalf of the community.
“What an awesome surprise to our community to be recognized globally. It was an extreme honor to see the leaders of both organizations in Gray at the same time with the same goal in mind,” he said.
The owner’s final thank you was to the people of Gray and Jones County.
“Last but not least, I want to thank our town for the amazing ‘showing up and showing out’ that we can always count on happening with Miracle Treat Day. You decide to spend the most money possible and wait in wild lines almost a half mile long to help complete the mission of raising the most money possible for the kids,” he said. “There’s no other place on earth I’d rather be, than right where I am. Looking forward to next year because I know, together, we will always do it bigger and better. We did it y’all, $180,000 in a single day for the kids at the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital.”
A complete list of all the Miracle Treat Day sponsors can be found in a full-page ad in this week’s edition.
