Staff and management at the Prince George Burger King are getting into the holiday spirit and will be raising money for Kordyban Lodge on Christmas Day.
The fast food restaurant on Central Street West will open its doors from noon until four on the holiday and donate all money from sales to the soon-to-open lodge located next to the B.C. Cancer Agency Centre for the North.
Owner Manish Sharma said staff are giving their time to the cause and he's donating all the pre-tax money that comes into the cash register that day.
"Christmas Day is all about giving," he said. "Everyone is volunteering for that particular day, the managers, the staff, everyone is volunteering for this noble cause."
Sharma, who has owned the local franchise for a year and recently completed renovations, said it was easy to pick the charity for what he hopes will become an annual tradition. Sharma's father has chronic lymphocytic leukemia and he was looking for a way to support cancer care, while keeping the money raised in the community.
"It's near and dear to my heart and it's a fight against cancer," he said. "The reason I chose Kordyban Lodge, is because I wanted the money to stay in Prince George. I want to make sure it's totally local."
When construction is complete, Kordyban Lodge will provide patients and their caregivers visiting the cancer centre from out of town a place to stay during their treatment. The Canadian Cancer Society building will also provide services like a library, exercise facilities and a wig and prosthetics room to clients.
Sharma said he picked the noon to four slot to give people a chance to stop in for a burger between opening gifts in the morning and Christmas dinner in the evening.
"I would like the community to embrace this and come in and have a burger and fight the cancer," he said.
