MOOSE JAW — A Dairy Queen Blizzard was the treat for most customers across Saskatchewan and in Moose Jaw on Thursday, but for Kortni Peterson, the fun came from getting behind the counter and turning it upside down.
The Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital ambassador returned to Moose Jaw for her second year helping staff at Dairy Queen during the 24th annual Miracle Treat Day on Aug. 13.
Kortni, who is from Central Butte and has undergone several brain surgeries at the Saskatoon children’s hospital, spent part of the afternoon taking orders, handling change and performing the familiar upside-down Blizzard handoff.
Asked how she was enjoying the experience, her answer was simple.
“Amazing,” she said.
Ann Angeles, manager of Moose Jaw’s Dairy Queen locations at 1711 Main Street North and 440 Caribou Street West, spoke with MooseJawToday.com at the Main Street location, where she said staff were excited to welcome Kortni back.
“This is Kortni’s second year with us, and I’m so happy having her. She’s an addition to my staff, actually,” Angeles said. “She’s doing a really great job. She’s amazing.”
The visit was part of a much larger effort unfolding at Dairy Queen locations across Saskatchewan and Canada.
On Miracle Treat Day, 100 per cent of net proceeds from every Blizzard Treat sold at participating Saskatchewan locations are donated to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. Funds support pediatric and maternal medical equipment, family-centred care, research and programming in the province.
Last year, Miracle Treat Day raised $282,000 across Saskatchewan. Those funds supported the hospital, which saw more than 83,000 children and moms-to-be from 644 Saskatchewan communities during the April 2025 to March 2026 reporting period.
“I’m just thankful to Moose Jaw and the surrounding area for always supporting Miracle Treat Day,” Angeles said, noting that the turnout has always been strong.
Locally, Angeles said the two Moose Jaw Dairy Queen locations raised close to $12,000 during last year’s event. She was hoping to surpass that total this year, although final numbers will not be available until Friday morning.
The fundraiser also included free face painting and a photo booth at the Main Street location, while Kortni helped serve customers alongside staff.
Her father, Ryan Peterson, said the family offered to help with Miracle Treat Day as part of Kortni’s ambassador role, with Moose Jaw the closest participating location to their Central Butte home.
For Angeles, Kortni’s presence served as a reminder of the Saskatchewan children and families who ultimately benefit from Miracle Treat Day.
“We are helping lots of kids from Saskatchewan who don’t need to go out of the province just to get the care that they need,” Angeles said. “It’s hard, not just for the kid but for everybody in the family, to go out of the province somewhere they are not familiar with.”
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital opened in Saskatoon in September 2019 as Saskatchewan’s first dedicated maternal and children’s hospital. Dairy Queen, meanwhile, has donated more than $58 million to children’s hospital foundations across Canada through Children’s Miracle Network over nearly two and a half decades.
Miracle Treat Day will continue until closing at both Moose Jaw Dairy Queen locations Thursday. The Main Street North location is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., while the Caribou Street West location is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Residents elsewhere in Saskatchewan can check with their local Dairy Queen for participating locations and hours of operation.
For Kortni, Thursday was also about enjoying another shift behind the counter. Asked to choose her favourite part of helping out, she couldn’t narrow it down.
“Everything is my favourite,” she said before giving Angeles a high-five.
