‘Helping the children’
Fun contest supports Campaign for Kids
Jamie Toulany has an important decision to make.
Should he make a Philly cheese steak burger with thinly sliced steak, provolone cheese, fried onions topped with heated Cheese Whiz, or should he go for an oldschool diner burger with a classic burger sauce, cheese, and fried onions?
Although mostly known as a pizza joint, Toulany's House of Dough in New Minas, is preparing to participate in their fifth year of Burger Wars happening in April across the Annapolis Valley.
Burger Wars is an annual event where restaurants from Digby to Windsor compete to see who has the best burger in town. But the real winners are the children.
Campaign for Kids, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for youth in financial need in Kings County sponsors the event. For every designated burger sold, $1 goes to the charity.
Campaign for Kids chair Linda Doucette says Burger Wars is the organization's major fundraiser.
“Money raised from
Burger Wars is used to fund a bursary program for postsecondary students, purchase boots and coats for elementary and middle school students in need, and to provide financial support for children, youth and families whose needs cannot be met by existing programs and services,” she explains.
And this is why Toulany likes participating in the event.
“It's a fun way to give back to the community and brings out our creative side,” he says.
John Bartlett, owner of the Capitol Pub in Middleton, and winner of the Burger Wars People's Choice Award in 2018, agrees.
“It's about helping the children,” he says. “The ability to help a child keep warm and fed is the true value of the campaign's success.”
The Capitol Pub was the first Annapolis County restaurant to join Burger Wars, hopping on board in 2016, the inaugural year. Since then, he says they have seen an increase in business during what would be a slower time of year.
The initiative has grown from something they may see a few orders of their burger daily to tables coming in and without even looking at the menu ordering the Burger Wars burger, says Bartlett.
Other restaurants are
excited about the upcoming Burger Wars, especially considering the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Genevieve Allen Hern, operations manager and coowner of Maritime Express in Kentville, says they are especially excited for Burger Wars this year because it's timed perfectly with the final
reopening phase of Nova Scotia's plan.
“The vibe feels good in restaurants again, and we can welcome folks back with delicious burgers for a good cause," she says.
This year, 47 restaurants from Windsor to Digby are featuring a burger for the
surpassing event, with the hopes of last year's 15,637 sold.
Burger Wars runs from April 1 to 30. A full list of participating restaurants can be found at campaignforkids.
eaters com/burgerwars. Burger then log on to the website to add their comments and rate each burger they try.
At the end of the month, the restaurant with the top ratings will be awarded a fun burger-themed trophy and will earn bragging rights for the year. For every designated burger that is ordered, $1 will go directly to Campaign for Kids to help kids in financial need in Kings County.
Where It's At Tours is offering private burger tours where participants can pick where to visit from a list of restaurants (whereitsattours. com/van-tour#Burger).
As an added fun feature, Burger Wars swag is for sale, including burger-themed T-shirts for $20. Burger earrings ($18) are available the Webster Street Hearing Boutique in Kentville while LIV Fashion Boutique in Kentville is selling burger-themed socks, and burger-themed cookies are available at Occasions Gifts and Décor in Kentville.
More information is available at campaignforkids.com/ burgerwarsswag.
Campaign for Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for youth in financial need in Kings County. For more information contact info@ campaignforkids.com.