Sauk Valley McDonald’s restaurants to raise funds Wednesday for Penguin Project, Willy Wonka Jr. performances

DIXON — Five local McDonald’s restaurants in Dixon, Oregon, Rock Falls, Morrison and Sterling will participate in a fundraiser Wednesday, Sept. 18, supporting The Penguin Project of Sauk Valley. Each restaurant will donate 20% of sales between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Penguin Project is a national non-profit that was established in 2004 in Peoria. The non-profit creates theater productions that allow young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, visual and hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders and intellectual and learning disabilities to perform in local plays and musicals.

They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of “peer mentors” – children and young adults the same age who have volunteered to work side by side with them through 4 months of rehearsals and through the final performance. The local Sauk Valley chapter of The Penguin Project is performing Willy Wonka Jr. Nov. 8-10 at the Sterling Centennial Auditorium, and funds raised will help this production and future shows.

Artists and mentors will be at each restaurant to share more about the organization and help the crew with orders.