CRESTVIEW — A fast food restaurant's ongoing fundraiser will benefit a 12-year-old boy critically injured in a boating accident.
While Drew Barefield recovers, his family is getting some help from area businesses, including owners of local McDonald’s restaurants.
“Every Tuesday while Drew is still in the hospital is Drewsday in Crestview,” David Costa Jr., of Costa Enterprises, said.
The Costas, on Tuesday, presented the Barefield family with a check for proceeds from the restaurant’s July 21 “McDrew Night.”
David Costa said he and his family were “super excited” about the outcome of the fundraiser, for which they pledged 20 percent of all sales made from 4 to 8 p.m.
“Monday night is not usually busy,” Costa said. “We expected we would do about $3,000 in sales,” which would have yielded about $600 for the benefit.
“Then all of a sudden it started getting some attention,” Costa said. “The managers told me they’ve never seen that many customers on a Monday night in the 10 years that store has been here.”
“The whole community was here Monday, supporting and praying for Drew,” the boy’s grandfather, Clark “Bubba” Barefield Jr., said. “It’s a shame something like this had to happen before the community comes together.”
DOUBLE THE SALES
The store almost doubled its expected sales, meaning $1,166 would go to Drew, “but we decided to bump that up to $1,500,” David Costa said.
The opportunity for her family to help the Barefields “has been a blessing," Helen Costa said. "You have no idea how much this has touched our lives.”
A boat propeller hit Drew Barefield June 28 while he snorkeled in shallow water off Walton County’s Choctaw Beach. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the case.
Clark “Trey” Barefield III, Drew’s father, said his son's condition is slowly improving.
“He’s getting a little bit better every day,” he said. “We were able to take him outside the last few days. We appreciate everybody’s prayers.”
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Tuesdays are Drewsdays: Fast food restaurant to donate half of Big Mac Meal sales every Tuesday