Heartfelt Thanks - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central PA

in
Ronald McDonald House Charities
o f C e n t r a l Pe n n s y l v a n i a
SPRING 2012
Heartfelt Thanks
By Faith Rice
On Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 4:30 p.m., our first child, a
daughter we named Ali, was born at Gettysburg Hospital. Our joy was
short-lived as the next evening we received the scary news that Ali had
something wrong with her heart and she was medi-vacced to Penn
State Hershey Children’s Hospital. We were terrified to learn our little
girl had Total Anamolous Pulmonary Veinous Return (TAPVR) and
a hole in her heart. Ali would need open heart surgery. Matt and I were in shock,
afraid, and exhausted! Even though Ali was in excellent hands, as her parents we didn’t know what to
do and leaving Ali was NOT an option.
That’s when my sister-in-law found out about Ronald McDonald House and by 12 p.m. the next day – we had
a room! Despite the fact that I was still physically recovering from having Ali and we were both sleep deprived and
emotionally drained, we instantly felt right at home at the House. People who don’t know you just love on you, care for
you, provide things that you don’t have...cry with you.
Ali’s heart surgery took place when she was only 5 days old. Matt and I stayed at the House just shy of two weeks
and it was bitter sweet to go back to our home in Gettysburg. Sweet because it meant that Ali’s surgery was succesful
and she was healthy again, but bitter because we truly felt like we were leaving a new family we became a part of. The
House really is a beacon of light during some of the darkest times of peoples lives and we thank God everyday—it will
forever be a part of our lives. On March 1, 2012, the 1 year anniversary for Ali’s heart surgery, our famliy went back to the House and made
dinner for the families. It was such a blessing to be on the other side this time but an even bigger blessing to help the
families staying there!
Issue Highlights
Save the Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Around the House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Recycling News . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Wish List Items . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Use the QR code below
for and easy way to get to
our website!
Faith, Ali, and Matt Rice
© 2011 McDonald’s
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
in
is a publication for the friends of
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of
Central PA. If you, or someone you know,
would like to be on our mailing list,
please contact us at (717) 533-4001, Ext 152
or dstegall@rmhc-centralpa.org
Contributing Writers:
Debra Barry, Faith Rice, Megan Royes
Contributing Photographers:
Debra Barry, Phil Palanzo, Natalie
Pronio, Ann Mahalik, Faith Rice,
Megan Royes, Deb Stegall, Phuong Tao
Graphic Design
The Design Factory
The Holiday Season at Ronald
McDonald House® began with The
4th Annual Light-A-Light Open House
and Tree Lighting. Many thanks to Eli
Campos for flipping the switch to light
the tree and start the festivities.
This event was generously sponsored
by: Merrill Lynch/Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Highmark
Blue Shield, ConEdison Solutions, Ingram Books, Penn State Hershey
Rehabilitation Hospital, Consolidated Scrap Resources, Susquehanna Bank,
Bath Fitters, New Holland Agriculture, Schindler Elevator., and United
Concordia Companies, Inc. Holiday House Decorations and Tree were
assembled by our friend, Don Krasley, who also put together a fantastic light
diplay at his home as a fundraiser for RMHC® of Central PA.
Printing Services
Generously donated by
The Hershey Company
Editor
Debra A. Barry
Board of Directors
Thomas Hinkson, President
David White, Vice-President
Janice Snyder, Treasurer
Emmett Patterson, Assistant Treasurer
Andrew Cheung, Secretary
Members
Edward Anstead
Carol Brame
Jamie Cielewich
Maida Connor
Sharon Greiner
Christina Lesher
Robert Marquette
Glen Mattox
Kimberly Nelson
Barbara Ostrov
Raymond Pettersen
Brian Roche
William Simpson, Jr.
Bentley Smith
Steven Turner
Matthew Wain
Full-Time Staff
Kathleen Denton, Executive Director
Debra Barry, Marketing/
Communications Manager
Todd Layser, House Manager
Amy Leonard, Development Manager
Colin Powell, Resident House Manager
Part-Time Staff
Ann Mahalik, Ronald McDonald
Family Room® Coordinator
Wendy McGreevy, Financial Coordinator
Kelly Mehaffie, Asst. Develpment Mgr
Deb Stegall, Office Manager
Patrice Stillwell, Administrative
Assistant and Grant Coordinator
Pam Vesce, Volunteer Coordinator
Theresa White, Administrative Assistant
Left to right: Todd Layser, House
Manager, and Eli Campos
Maida Connor, RMHC® of Central PA
board member, shown left, accepts a check
representing $10,000 from Frank Collins,
Director, Merrill Lynch, and the Bank of
America Charitable Foundation
For a complete list of Relief Managers, please
visit www.rmhc-centralpa.org
2
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
Light-A-L
ight
Guest
Many thanks to Bob Brandt,
Hershey Gardens, for
providing the House with
a beautiful holiday wreath
which we proudly displayed
on our front wall during the
month of December!
Dept. 56 Holiday Display
Melissa Robertson, and her
daughter, McKenna, enjoy
the Dept. 56 Village which
was assembled by the local
members of Dept. 56 Club.
Children were mezmerized by
the display for weeks!
For more information about these exciting events,
please visit www.rmhc-centralpa.org
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Registration 7:45 am Walk begins 9:00 am
HIGHMARK WALK FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY
Harrisburg Area Community College
Get out your walking shoes, put together a team or walk with our team! It’s easy and
fun for the entire family...registration available at www.rmhc-centralpa.org under
Upcoming Events. For more information, please contact Kelly Mehaffie at
kmehaffie@rmhc-centralpa.org or 717-533-4001, ext.161
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
12 Noon
4TH ANNUAL LANCASTER COUNTY
COMMUNITY AUCTION
White Horse Fire Company, Gap
Experience the hospitality of the Lancaster County Community at this traditional
auction! The auction is packed with unique auction items to include furniture, sheds,
and handmade quilts. Home-cooked meals, snacks, and baked goods are available
throughout the day. For more information, please contact Amy Leonard,
at aleonard@rmhc-centralpa.org or 717-533-4001, ext. 156.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
10:30 a.m. registration
18TH ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC & AUCTION
Heritage Hills Resort, York
Enjoy a fantastic day of golf followed by cocktail reception, auction, dinner, and
awards. The evening will feature a special live auction of an amazing two-day golf
package at The Hotel Hershey. Register online at www.rmhc-centralpa.org, upcoingin
events. For more information, please contact Debra Barry
at dbarry@rmhc-centralpa.org or 717-533-4001, ext. 155.
Saturday, October 20
6 pm
THE 11TH ANNUAL MOONLIGHT GALA & AUCTION
Hershey Lodge, Hershey
You’re invited to our black-tie optional evening complete with scrumptious dinner and upscale
auction. This year we are proud to feature Dartmouth College’s oldest a cappella group, the
“Aires.” The current group recently placed second on the “Sing-off” and has many high-energy
and fun loving guys. For more information please contact Amy Leonard at aleonard@rmhccentralpa.org or 717-533-4001, ext. 156.
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
3
Around the House
Giving Warmth To Others
House guest, Jane Davalos, has spent most of
her spare time making fleece quilts for her
fellow guests, especially children, of the Ronald
McDonald House. It has filled her days with the
joy of giving to others. Thank you, Jane!
Sweetheart Pets
A group of very friendly Collies and Shelties,
dressed in their colorful red and pink outfits,
delighted families during this very special
Valentine Pet Therapy session. The pets are
registered animal assistance dogs with the
American Red Cross.
Irish Celebration
Celebrating the wearing of the green, the
collies and shelties returned for another
visit to commerate St. Patrick’s Day! A
great time was had by all as guests enjoyed
Shamrock cookies, and Irish music filled the
Ronald McDonald House®. For information
about our Pet Therapy Program, please
contact Pam Vesce at 717-533-4001, ext. 158.
Gettysburg Students Care
Students from Gettysburg High School have made the
trip to Hershey to cook dinner for families for three years.
They gain valuable kitchen skills while families enjoy
their tasty dishes. Left side of counter: Michelle Hahn,
Teacher, and students, Josey Ritgert, Kelsi Kuhn, Shawnee
Hay, Jason Lomax, Lisa Dailey. Right side of counter, Coty
Bridges.
4 Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
www.ronaldshousehershey.org
Continued on page 5
RMHC of Central PA
Grant Program
®
The American Red
Cross serving South Central
Pennsylvania received a donation
and grants totaling $90,857 to
aid families and children affected
by Tropical Storm Lee and
Hurricane Irene on Thursday,
October 20. Central Pennsylvania
McDonald’s® owner/operators
donated $23,107 raised during
a September 28 restaurant
promotion. Additionally, Ronald
McDonald House Charities®
Global Office Chicago granted
$46,375 and RMHC of Central
PA’s grant program contributed
$21,375 for the disaster relief. Shown left to right: Emmett
Patterson, RMHC® of Central PA
Grant Committee Chairperson
and McDonald’s owner/operator,
Peter Ballantine, McDonald’s
owner/operator, Kathleen Felker,
Regional Chapter Executive,
American Red Cross South
Central PA, Joe Beck, Board
President, American Red Cross
South Central PA, and Brenda
Pettersen, President Central
PA McDonald’s Co-Op and
McDonald’s owner/operator.
Thanksgiving
Development Manager, Amy Leonard, along with her husband,
Cletus, and other family members, prepared Thanksgiving
Dinner with all the trimmings to delight families during the
holiday weekend.
Thank you Gurreri Family
Left to right, Emily and Chris Gurreri, joined other family
members, and brought a vast amount of toys and games to
Ronald McDonald House® during the last holiday season.
House guest, xxxxxxx, can hardly contain his excitement as
he chooses a toy from the toy shop. Each year the Gurreri
Family conducts a toy drive in York, to honor the memory
of Jacob, who passed away at the age of five.
ri
Chris Gurre
Emily and
Anthony, House Guest
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
5
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6 Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
“I learned a lot about
Ronald McDonald House,
like you collect tabs and
magazines to raise money
so parents can stay close
to their sick children. I
loved the tour and video
and thank you for your
kindness.”
“Why did this have to
happen to her? I personally
refused to believe it until I
saw her sedated in a hospital
bed with a plethora of IV’s
and tubes attached to her
tiny, dehydrated body.
Things have been . . .
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from this Hst radiates
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things ba
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you … fo
r treating
my paren
ts with
the utmo
st care an
d
attention
.”
Counting Our Blessings
By Megan Royes
Much to our surprise, Joanna Grace Royes was born on Mother’s Day,
May 9, 2010, at 24 weeks gestation, weighing only 1 pound, 2 ounces—about
the size of a soda can. Our tiny girl entered the world not breathing and
having seizures. Doctors at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital warned
us that she would likely not survive more than a few days, and if she did,
she’d have serious complications—possible blindness, brain damage,
motor delays, breathing problems, and so on. Day after day, we watched
as she grew stronger, her organs and lungs developed, and she slowly
learned to breathe
and eat on her own. On September 30, 2010, after multiple surgeries
and setbacks, we finally brought Joanna home with us!
During this five month ordeal, one of the many blessings for us
came in the form of the Ronald McDonald House®. We walked in
and were shocked by the cozy accommodations and “home-like”
atmosphere, the hospitality of the volunteers and staff, and the fullystocked pantry at our disposal! In many ways, the Ronald McDonald
House felt like “home” to us—a place of respite and security after a long day of
procedures and therapy.
Here are just a few of the number of blessings we encountered during our stay:
10
T
he number of toys and blankets
Joanna has been given
30 The number of hours Joanna and I
have spent in the Play Room
50 A
conservative estimate of number of
people and families we’ve met, who
have inspired us with their stories
of heroism, and encouraged us to
persevere
60
he number of nights we spent at
T
Hershey’s Ronald McDonald House
150 The number of meals and snacks we
received, saving us time, money, and
energy
9,300The number of miles we would
have driven, had we not been
able to stay in the House
8,000 The money we would have spent
on gas, hotels, and food if not for
the House
Recently, we returned to Ronald McDonald House, from
Allentown, with our bouncy little daughter who is now almost
two years old. We are finishing up a 5-week intensive feeding
program at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. She is
making great strides!
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
7
Magazine/Glossy Paper Recycling
Since 2004, we have raised over $187,000 through the
recycling of over 5,800 tons of glossy paper. Many thanks to our
guardian angels out there who monitor our recycling bins and let
us know when they are ready for pick-up. We recycle any type of
glossy paper to include magazines, catalogs, newspaper inserts.
Our
Recycling
Sites
Carlisle – McDonald’s Restaurant
905 Walnut Bottom Road
Elizabethtown – Darrenkamp’s Market
191 Ridgeview Road South
Enola – Kmart Summerdale Plaza (Route 11/15)
Ephrata – Public Works Complex, off Church Ave.
Gettysburg – Len Dick Signs 3000 York Road
(Route 30)
Harrisburg – McDonald’s Restaurant 4605
Jonestown Road (across from Colonial Park Mall) Harrisburg – Harrisburg Area Community College
Industrial Blvd. Parking Lot 3
Harrisburg – Sam’s Club – 6781 Grayson Road,
(Route 322) just north of Sam’s Club gas station
Hershey – Ronald McDonald House-745 West
Governor Road (Route 322) across the street from
the Hershey Medical Center
Lancaster – McDonald’s Restaurant, 1434
Manheim Pike, rear lot
Lebanon – Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority,
1610 Russell Road
Lebanon – McDonald’s Restaurant-757 East
Cumberland Street
Lebanon – 16th and Cumberland Streets
Boiling Springs resident, Jane Lerch, regularly collects magazines,
catalogs and glossy paper and brings them to our recycling container,
located at McDonald’s on Walnut Bottom Road, Carlisle. When
she learned of a truckload of glossy materials which needed to be
transported she called in friends from her church, Allison United
Methodist Church, to help. Shown left, Rich Charette and Larry Miller,
right, empty boxes of glossy material into the bin and discard
the cardboard. Youth Pastor Matt Pfeiffer and his friend,
Jake Dusinberre, also aided in this effort.
Lititz – Lancaster County Airport, 520 Airport Road
(As you face the airport, the container is to the left
of Winkie’s & The Pilot Shop)
Manheim – VFW Post #5956 (rear)-149 South
Charlotte Street
Mechanicsburg – Mechanicsburg Middle SchoolSouth Market Street
Middletown – Karn’s Quality Foods-101 South
Union Street
Mount Joy – Wissler Motors, 1205 West Main
Street, (gravel lot across the street from dealership)
Palmyra – Klick-Lewis Family of Dealerships
(rear)-Cherry Street between Duke and Prince
York – Consolidated Scrap Resources-120 Hokes
Mill Road. 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.
York – Nell’s Shur Fine Market, 2720 South Queen
Street
Aluminum Tabs:
Since 1996, over $171,000 has been raised by
recycling these tiny tabs, which equals 211 tons
and 591,773,000 tabs.
Ally Koppenhaver, of Millersburg, collected twenty-five
one gallon containers of aluminum tabs for her Senior
Project and brought them to Ronald McDonald House
on March 13. In 2011, over $14,000 was raised to help
fund operational expenses at Ronald McDonald House.
Thank you!
8 Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
ZOOAMERICA’S ULTIMATE PET THERAPY
Thank you Shamrock Shakes!
ZooAmerica, courtesy of Hershey Entertainment &
Resorts, hosted a very unique Pet Therapy session by
bringing some very special animals to Ronald McDonald
House®.
Guests received information about each animal and a
chance pet the baby alligator! Additional pets were a barn
owl, snake and skumk.
The first fundraiser for Ronald McDonald
House took place in Philadelphia over
30 years ago as McDonald’s® gave part
of the proceeds of the sale of Shamrock
Shakes to help build the very first House.
Today the tradition continues as local
area McDonald’s, during the month of
March, donated 25 cents for each shake
to RMHC of Central PA.
Weinermobile
It was a special day for House guests when the
Weinermobile rolled into town to delight children and
adults of all ages. Everyone enjoyed the rides and the
special evening meal…a Weiner Roast, of course!
House guest, xxxxxxxxx, carefully makes friends with a
baby alligator. Ellen Gruin, from ZooAmerica, gave a lively
presentation about each animal.
McHappy Day®
Central Pennsylvania McDonald’s®
celebrated McHappy Day® in support of
Ronald McDonald House Charities® – the
company’s “Charity of Choice” for 37 years.
New this year, customers could donate to
the Charity in varying denominations $1, $3,
The Sinclair Family, left to right, Brenda, Crystal,
Richard, April, and Patrick, prepare to tour the
Weinermobile. Special thanks to Dylan, Kylie, and
Oscar Meyer for including Hershey’s Ronald McDonald
House on the tour of Central Pennsylvania.
or $5. Over $56,000 was raised for RMHC of
Central Pennsylvania.
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
9
“Jamie’s Joy” Hall’s Ice Cream
Jamie and Scott Cielewich were high bidders on
a unique auction item at last year’s Gala. They won
the opportunity to create and name a Hall’s Ice Cream
flavor to be sold for two months at Karns Quality
Foods. Shown left to right at the ice cream tasting
at Hershey’s Karns Quality Foods, are Ruth Karns
Rudderow, Andrea Karns, RMHC of Central PA board
member, Alan Hall, Jamie Cielewich high bidder and
Peggy Raub. Part of the proceeds, 20 cents for each 54
oz. container and 10 cents for each pint container will
be donated to RMHC® of Central PA.
The Legend Continues Program
As part of this generous program, Loxley’s will
donate 5% of the restaurant check, exclusive of
alcohol, to a participating charity. Customers at
Loxley’s are able to designate which charity, out of
three, receives their donation and have the option to
add to the donated amount. To help customers make
an informed decision, charity information will be
displayed at each table. Additional literature is also
available and displayed at the hostess station. During
the month of June, RMHC of Central PA will be one of
the three charities with proceeds designated for the
18th Annual Golf Classic.
Maewyn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
located at 110 North George Street, York, will
donate a portion of their profits on Wednesday,
June 20, to the 18th Annual Gold Classic and
Auction. Details will be posted on our website,
www.rmhc-centralpa.org, as they become available.
Thank you, for your
generous bequests!
Geraldine and Tom McCreary
John and Margaret McMammon
Both couples lived their lives with honor and grace;
their generosity allows families to do the same as
guests at Ronald McDonald House.
10 Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org
Thank you!
Special thanks to talented and energetic
Bobby Eismann, makcad Design, for donating
his expertise to help with all areas of our
website and social media. The company offers
sound, proven approaches for communications
success whether design, print, or web. Visit
makcad.com or email info@makcad.com
for more information.
Food Check Out Week
Wish List
The summer months are often “lean times” for our
pantry. We are in particular need of these food and
supply items for the many families that use the Ronald
McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room:
Shown left to right, Carl Schaffer, PFB President, Susan
Carns, PFB Chair, District 8, Kathy Denton, RMHC of
Central PA’s Executive Director, and Andrew Cheung,
McDonald’s owner/operator and board member.
For a complete list of Wish List Items,
please visit www.rmhc-centralpa.org
!
For the 14th consecutive year, The Pennsylvania
Farm Bureau (PFB) marked Food Check Out
Week (FCOW) by delivering of food, cash and
other contributions to Pennsylvania’s five Ronald
McDonald Houses in Danville, Hershey, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh and Scranton. The FCOW program
was initiated by PFB’s State Women’s Leadership
Committee in 1998 and has raised more than
$717,000 through 2011.
♥ Individual serving snacks- cereal,
crackers, cookies, chips, granola bars,
nuts, etc.
♥M
icrowave meals (shelf-stable stews,
soups, etc.)
♥ Disinfectant spray (Lysol)
♥ HE laundry detergent
♥ Paper towels
♥ Bathroom and toilet bowl cleaners
♥ Gallon and snack size zipper bags
♥ 13 gallon trash bags
♥ Automatic dishwasher detergent
♥ Copier paper ( 8.5” x 11”)
♥ Non-dairy coffee creamer
♥F
amily size disposable plastic food
containers (Glad)
!
Ronald McDonald® Family Room
Aiden Bittle, former
Ronald McDonald
House guest,
stopped by the
Ronald McDonald
Family Room with
his mother, Joy.
His mom let us
know that Aiden, a
thriving little guy,
will soon be fitted
for a prosthesis to
help him walk.
Are you looking for us on Facebook? Our
official page is listed as Ronald McDonald
House Charities of Central PA. Like us to
follow all the latest news and upcoming
events!
We’re now on
Twitter and invite
you to follow
@RMHCCentralPA
us at RMHC
Central PA
Follow Us
Visit us at www.rmhc-centralpa.org 11
Ronald McDonald House Charities®
of Central Pennsylvania
745 West Governor Road
Hershey, PA 17033-2304
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HERSHEY, PA
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Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Central PA
SPEAKER’S BUREAU
Are you looking for an inspirational talk for your
organization’s next meeting?
Contact our Speakers Bureau!
A member of the RMHC® of Central PA’s Speakers
Bureau is available to present an inspiring story of “The
House that Love Built.” The
speaker will also discuss
our mission and services,
inform the audience of ways
they may help, and educate
organizations on how they may
incorporate RMHC of Central
PA into a service opportunity.
Donation Boxes – Please remember to drop your
spare change into our Donation Boxes, located at
Central Pennsylvania’s McDonald’s restaurants.
The Ronald McDonald House
Speakers Bureau is pleased to tailor presentations to your
organization’s specific interests and can accommodate
large or small groups.
To arrange a presentation, please email Debra Barry at
dbarry@rmhc-centralpa.org.
We appreciate your kindness!