Seattle men wear kilts to benefit the Ronald McDonald House

In light of our recent I Wonder Why feature on utilikilts, we couldn't resist telling you about this new sartorial-themed fundraiser for the Seattle Ronald McDonald House.

Eighteen local men are vying for the title of King of the Kilt 2012 and have posed for pictures in their kilts.

Contestants include a police officer, a principal dancer with the Pacific NW Ballet, a member of the  Seattle Sounders FC and a Seahawk. Members of the public are invited to donate $25 in order to vote for their favorites at the Men in Kilts website. 

The voting fee sponsors a one night's stay at the house for a family with a child being treated at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The King of the Kilt 2012 will be announced at a celebration April 14th at the Georgetown Brewing Company. Tickets are $50.

The Seattle Ronald McDonald House provided 27, 984 nights of housing for nearly 700 families in 2011. It's a home-away-from-home for families going through a very stressful time.

Families are asked to contribute $25 a night when they stay at the house, but no one is turned away because of financial reasons. The actual cost of a night's stay is $108. Donations from the public make up the difference.