Raising Cane’s restaurants raise money for ‘Extreme Makeover’ family

By Becky Bosshart

Friday, March 13, 2009 | 9:29 p.m.

Purchase some chicken wings and special sauce at Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers in the next few weeks and you'll be donating to the local "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" family.

Justin Micatrotto, co-owner of Cane's, said Friday that the owners of the local chain were moved by the story of Chuck and Terri Cerda and their two daughters, who have extremely fragile immune systems. A common cold bug could put them in the hospital with a major lung infection.

The show producers picked their home at 5760 Royal Castle Lane for an extreme makeover because it compromises the girls' health.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is an Emmy Award-winning reality television series providing home renovations for deserving families. In seven days, the show partners with local companies to completely makeover the family's home.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" airs every Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC. "Starting next week, the restaurants will be taking $1 donations to benefit the family," Micatrotto said. "A customer can chose to have the $1 added on to the bill, then it will be given directly to the family."

The fundraising effort will continue until the episode airs on May 10, Micatrotto said. He hopes to raise several thousand to benefit the family.

There are four Raising Cane's restaurants in Las Vegas: 4655 West Charleston Blvd., 7550 South Las Vegas Blvd., 1120 Flamingo Road and 5660 Centennial Center Blvd.

The Centennial Center Boulevard restaurant, which is near the family's home, will be providing dinners on Saturday and Tuesday to the 300 volunteers and workers with Wright Custom Homes remodeling the Cerda home.

For more information on Raising Cane's, please visit www.raisingcanes.com.