Mount Pulaski teacher wins $25,000 in McDonald's 'You Want Fries With That' contest

[February 24, 2012]  MOUNT PULASKI -- Jean Davis of Mount Pulaski, with husband Rob, sister Marianne Radtke, son Nick, mother Mary Pope and brother Jack were given a rousing send-off from Mount Pulaski's Zion Lutheran Church and School on Thursday.

They all traveled in a sleek, long white limousine, compliments of McDonald's Corp., to the Chicago Blackhawks hockey game, where McDonald's presented Davis a check for $25,000.

Davis won the recent McDonald's "You Want McDonald's Fries With That" contest.

Her contest mission statement included helping to defray expenses for inner-city students who wish to travel with her Latham United Methodist Church group to a work camp this summer in Pennsylvania to help repair homes and property for the elderly and those in need.

Jean, Rob and Marianne are a permanent fixture at the Mount Pulaski Fall Festival, selling their deep-fried, yummy sugar doughnuts as a fundraiser for their fees for the annual summer church project.

In 2010, they helped orchestrate the local "Heart of Illinois Work Camp" project, centered in Mount Pulaski, which always involves other denominational churches from other states as well.

Davis, a teacher at Zion Lutheran, was treated to a big send-off that included members of her class waving large, colorful signs and shouting out, "Mis_sus Da_vis, you're Mc_Awe_some."

This award is huge, as it will help to ease a bit the anxious gearing up of those annual spring, summer and fall doughnut fundraisers in Mount Pulaski and at various other fairs throughout central Illinois.

[Text from file received from Phil Bertoni]