Yellowknife (June 06/03) - Every year franchise chains hold fundraising events in Yellowknife. But where does the money go? Are the funds simply sent down South?

Craig Stevens, an owner and manager at Tim Hortons, and McDonald's owners Al and Laurie Nielsen want Yellowknifers to know for the most part money raised in Yellowknife goes back to the community.

Profits raised on Tim Hortons Camp Day are used to send two of Yellowknife's less fortunate kids, between the ages of nine and 12, to the Tim Hortons camp in Kananaskis, Alta.

"The Tim Hortons chain is very strict about sending kids from the franchise's hometown," said Stevens.

Every year the manager of Tim Hortons alternates between the two school systems and works with schools in Yellowknife to chose either two boys or two girls to send to camp.

During Camp Day last year, the local Tim Hortons raised around $7,000 by collecting donations and contributing their coffee sales for a 24 hour period to the camp day cause.

This year's camp day is June 11.

McDonald's owners Al and Laurie Nielsen donated approximately $1,400 from their McHappy Day event last November to the Yellowknife Public Library to purchase books and a carpet for the children's area.

"It's really great to see how many things they were able to buy with that money," said Al Nielsen.

Other funds raised on McHappy Day in Yellowknife were donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Edmonton, but the Nielsens say the Edmonton base is used quite often by people from Yellowknife with sick children.