Taking care of their community, Dairy Queen’s biggest fans are kids

When Jane Blackburn was four years old, her mom opened a Dairy Queen in Harrisonburg, Va. The next year, Dairy Queen became a national CMN Hospitals partner, and Jane’s mom began supporting the cause. Today Jane and her husband, Michael, are continuing the tradition through three Dairy Queen stores, including their newest one in Midlothian.

“I remember my mom presenting the big cardboard check on behalf of Dairy Queen during the days when CMN Hospitals had telethons,” Jane recalled. “That was so cool as a kid watching your mom on TV.”

Jane’s mom eventually opened a second Dairy Queen location in Harrisonburg, and in 2009, Jane and Michael joined the family business. With support from Dairy Queen of Virginia’s corporate office, the Blackburns expanded to the Richmond market and built the Charter Colony location, which opened in July 2021.

“We wanted to open in the area where our kids went to school,” said Jane, who has three teenage daughters. “We felt welcomed by the community here.”

Each year, the Blackburns host Free Cone Day and Miracle Treat Day. They also invite customers to donate $1 for Miracle Balloons in July and round up purchases at check-out as part of a year-round Round Up campaign. Since opening, the Charter Colony Dairy Queen has raised $24,000 for CHildren’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, an achievement Jane attributes to the motivation of crew members and passion of Dairy Queen’s customers.

“Dairy Queen’s biggest fans are kids,” said Jane. “Supporting Children’s Hospital is supporting kids when they probably aren’t feeling their best. It’s a way for us to hopefully bring a smile to their face.”

Since 1984, Dairy Queen has raised $77.6 million for children’s hospitals nationwide including $260,000 for CHoR since 2004. This year, Jane and Michael, along with 11 area Dairy Queen franchise owners, are supporting the Children’s Tower. Dairy Queen of Virginia also made a $50,000 donation, which was matched to make a $100,000 impact, to name two spaces in the new facility.

“All the money raised here stays local to support our kids,” Jane said. “It’s awesome that kids in the community will have a fantastic, state-of-the-art hospital to go to that will also serve kids all over the state.”

Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day 2023 — Helping kids in your community has never been so sweet! For every Blizzard® Treat sold at participating DQ® locations on Miracle Treat Day, Thursday, July 27, $1 or more will be donated to local children’s hospitals like CHoR through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.