7-Eleven celebrates 'Slurpee Day' with free beverages and charity drive
The Slurpee, created 'unintentionally,' was first sold in 1966
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7-Eleven is giving away free Slurpees to celebrate its 97th birthday – and to help support the Children's Miracle Network.
Each year on July 11 (7/11), participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores celebrate "Slurpee Day," according to a news release provided to FOX Business.
Customers will receive a free small Slurpee, no purchase necessary, the release said.
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"Slurpee Day is our annual celebration of 7-Eleven's birthday and our iconic frozen drink; it's a day of joy, community and good old-fashioned summer fun," Marissa Jarratt, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at 7-Eleven, said in a statement.
In the lead-up to Slurpee Day, 7-Eleven launched a special edition Slurpee cup that was designed by Nolan, a survivor of childhood cancer and the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' national champion.
Nolan, pictured above with his parents, designed the special cups. He's the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals national champion. (7-Eleven, Inc. / Fox News)
The Texas-based chain has been a "longtime" partner with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, 7-Eleven said in its release.
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Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is "a network of 170 member children’s hospitals that provide 38 million patient visits, catering to 12 million children annually across the U.S. and Canada," according to its website.
A native of Texas, Nolan (no last name given) was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye, at the age of 3, according to the website. He was named a "national champion" of the organization in Jan. 2024.
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Children's Miracle Network Hospitals national champions are "a group of extraordinary ambassadors dedicated to raising awareness about the critical need for charitable donations to support pediatric health care," according to the release announcing Nolan's title.
Customers can get a free small Slurpee at participating 7-Eleven stores all day long on July 11. (7-Eleven, Inc. / Fox News)
"We are thrilled to share the nostalgia and create new memories with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and our customers who cherish this tradition so dearly," Jarratt said.
The special cup "will aim to bring hope to other pediatric cancer patients and inspire everyone this Slurpee season," 7-Eleven said.
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Slurpees were invented somewhat unintentionally, according to 7-Eleven's website.
"In the late 1950s, Omar Knedlik's soda fountain at his restaurant broke. He stashed some soda pop in the freezer and had the idea to turn frozen soda into a beverage," it said.
Using parts from an automobile's air conditioner, Knedlik built a "simple frozen beverage machine."
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In 1966, Knedlik's semi-frozen soda drinks made their way to 7-Eleven stores and were bestowed with the name "Slurpee," the 7-Eleven website said.
The Slurpee was first sold at 7-Eleven stores in 1966. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"This worldwide sensation resulted in Slurpee machines in all 7-Eleven stores and an explosion of 27 flavors by the '70s," it said.
"And thus, the most well-known propietary drink brand was just beginning."
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Slurpees are now available at 7-Eleven locations around the world.
As of 2021, Detroit is the "Slurpee capital of the U.S.," where more of the drinks are ordered than any other city in the country, 7-Eleven's website said.