Fall 2015 Newsletter - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central

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Fall 2015
© 2015 McDonald’s
A publication of Ronald McDonald House Charities®
of Central New York..
away from home
A Mother’s Story
By Jennifer Hernandez
Every time we arrive back at “The House That Love Built®,” it’s like being
welcomed home.
In September 2012, I was 28 weeks pregnant when I gave birth to my son, Aiden,
and became a first-time mom. Upon birth, Aiden was immediately transported
to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Crouse Hospital, where he would
spend the first two months of his life. While Aiden was in the NICU, I found a
“home away from home” in Syracuse at the CNY Ronald McDonald House®.
“We are always welcomed
back with open arms like we
are part of the family.”
For two months, I made regular day and midnight trips to the hospital to visit my
son, and whenever I returned to the House, I found comfort in the kitchen. The
kitchen was always a place where many guests would gather for a quick snack
and end up sharing our sons’ or daughters’ progress that day. On top of the stress
of having a newborn in the NICU, I was also going through a separation. Alone, neither situation is easy, but together it
was definitely a feat to conquer. Thankfully, the CNY Ronald McDonald House was there to help.
Today, life is still not easy. Aiden is 3 years old and has cerebral palsy. We have
our daily medical and financial struggles and at times are just plain exhausted,
but it helps to know that we can stay at the House whenever we need to
travel to Syracuse for Aiden’s medical appointments. It eliminates the stress
and burden of having to figure out how to pay for an expensive hotel stay,
and for a day or two, worries are gone and it’s all hugs, smiles and updates.
Like so many others, we fondly refer to the CNY Ronald McDonald House as
our “home away from home.” We are always welcomed back with open arms
like we are part of the family, and the love that the House has shown us has
been a godsend.
Thank you to all of the staff and volunteers for their support, love and
compassion! I could not have made it through the past three years
without you!
save the
date
14th Annual Many Hearts One Home Celebration
Saturday, November 14, 2015
SRC Arena and Events Center • Onondaga Community College
Syracuse, New York
Honored Guest: Regional Perinatal Center
Honorary Event Chairs: Margaret and Rick Shirtz
1100 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 | rmhcny.org
letter
from the director
Dear Friends,
Thanks to the community’s continued
support, our organization continues
to help families stay close to medical
facilities where their children are
receiving care, and provides a home
for children to rest and recover while
being surrounded by family. For over
30 years, the CNY Ronald McDonald
House® has been a “home away
from home” for families whose children are being treated
for serious illness or injury, but our care doesn’t stop there.
Through our partnership with the Regional Perinatal Center
we now extend the same level of compassion to expectant
mothers whose pregnancies are classified as high-risk.
The Regional Perinatal Center gives women access to the
most comprehensive and advanced medical care while the
CNY Ronald McDonald House provides them with a place to
stay nearby before and after delivery. Oftentimes a woman
whose pregnancy is high-risk is required to be on bed rest for
the weeks leading up to her delivery. Within a short distance
of her doctor and the hospital, our handicap-accessible
home provides the comfort and amenities not found in a
hotel or medical facility. House features such as our private
wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and guest rooms, elevator
and wide hallways help expectant mothers move about
comfortably and easily. Most importantly, we take the
guesswork out of accommodations so that women can focus
on what is most important – the health of her and her baby.
One of our recent guests, Amanda Krantz, of Buffalo, New
York, shared:
“The CNY Ronald McDonald House and the Regional
Perinatal Center made me feel like I was at home and helped
me through what could have otherwise been a terrifying
experience. I would never want to go through what I did
again, but they made it easier.”
To help spread the word about our partnership, we were
fortunate to receive a Community Health Award grant
from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and could not be more
appreciative to have been selected. The number of high-risk
expectant mothers who stay with us when they travel to
Syracuse for specialized prenatal care has more than doubled
since 2012, and we anticipate that number will continue
to grow.
It takes many hearts to make our home, and it would not
be possible without the support of all of our community
supporters and volunteers, the Regional Perinatal Center and
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. Thank you for helping us keep
families exactly where they belong…Together.
Thank You
Thank you to all the individuals and
groups who continue to dedicate their
time and talents to raising money for
“The House That Love Built.”
American Legion Riders Post 1645 – Dominick Torto Memorial Ride:
Brenda Geiger – Glitter Gala:
$200.00
$5,000.00
Brooks Karate School – Tournament Proceeds:
$351.00
Chittenango Oz-Stravaganza – Ice Pop Sale:
$125.00
F.W. Webb Co. – Employee Jeans Day:
$185.00
iHeartRadio – Bingo: $313.00
Kim’s Walk of Hope – 14th Annual Event:
$4,500.00
NY State Trapshooters – Trapshooting Event July 2015:
$4,250.00
Westhill Central School District – Sunshine Fund:
$200.00
External fundraisers, both big and small, are a tremendous source of support for the CNY Ronald McDonald
House every year, and they can be very easy to coordinate. Thinking of supporting the CNY Ronald McDonald
House by holding a dress-down day at work, setting up a bake sale in your neighborhood with the kids or going
on a bowling outing with your co-workers? Visit our website and fill out a host application form, and we will
help you get started on your own event.
Donations made from Jan. 16, 2015, through Sept. 8, 2015
Christmas in July
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who
supported and contributed to our Christmas in July celebration. More
than 50 community groups, businesses and individuals participated
and collected items on our Wish List, including food, household
essentials and gift cards. Altogether, we collected more than $8,700
worth of items and monetary donations to support guest families.
7th Annual Bella Casa Fashion Show
Thank you to all who attended the 7th
Annual Bella Casa Fashion Show and helped
make the event a success! $52,000 was
raised while guests enjoyed shopping,
raffles, live auctions, hors d’oeuvres, food
stations and the main event, a fashion
show. The fashions were provided by
local clothing boutiques Giovanni’s Men’s
Fashion & Formal Wear, Jet Black, Koolakian
Menswear, Manny’s, Mr. Shop, Showoffs
Boutique, Spybaby Boutique, The Changing
Room and Fleet Feet Sports.
A big thank-you to our event sponsors:
Carrier Corp., Francis Audio-Visual, Welch
Allyn, Crouse Hospital, JGB Enterprises
Inc., Summit Cars, Pediatric Cardiology
Associates, Wegmans, 93Q, NBC3, CBS5,
CW6 and CNYCentral.com. Additional
thanks to our photographers, Aimee Mohr
and Rick Policastro, and to our emcee,
Sistina Giordano.
Pictured: Ryan and Owen Donnelly.
Owen is 5 years old and a cancer survivor.
Donate Your Vehicle
Beth Trunfio
Executive Director
Vehicle donations help us keep families together when they need it most.
Through the charity vehicle donation program, we’ll help you with the
paperwork before picking up your car, truck, RV or boat free of charge and
sell it at the nearest auction location. The proceeds will go to Ronald
McDonald House Charities of CNY, and you may qualify for a sizable tax
deduction. Visit onecarhelpsrmhc.org or call 855-227-7435 to learn more.
Many thanks to all the individuals and groups who dedicate their
Corporate Connection
Artie’s Party
Pinstripe and airbrush artists worked almost around the clock at “Artie’s
Party” during the PPG Syracuse Nationals, July 17-19, to hand-paint
original artwork on items of all kinds, from vehicle panels to mailboxes.
The one-of-a-kind items were then auctioned throughout the weekend.
This year, the event raised $67,000 for our organization.
Youth Group Support
Thank you to all of the churches and community
groups who continue to support the CNY Ronald
McDonald House. The youth group from St.
James’ Episcopal Church in Skaneateles spent an
afternoon at the House making soup and baked
goods for our families.
A youth group from the Russian Baptist Church in Syracuse frequently visits us to
prepare brunch for families and make crafts with kids. This past Easter, the group
organized an egg hunt at the House.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Olive
Garden’s fan favorite “Never Ending Pasta
Bowl®” promotion, James Welch, store manager
of the Erie Boulevard location, stopped by the
House to give one of our guest families a “Never
Ending Pasta Pass.” The pass gives a family
of four the opportunity to join Olive Garden
for dinner as often as they like for up to eight
weeks. Olive Garden also regularly participates
in our “For the Love of Food” program by
providing dinner for guests on a monthly basis.
The Dave & Buster’s team returned to cook
dinner and visit with our guest families. In
addition, Dave & Buster’s often helps put smiles
on the faces of our guests by inviting them to
their Destiny USA location for fun and games.
FedEx Ground continues to support our guest
families. A team of employees visited the House
over the summer to cook a meal, and the
organization was one of our top Christmas in
July fundraisers.
F.W. Webb Co. employees had the opportunity
to wear blue jeans to work in exchange for
making a donation to our organization, and
provided a potluck lunch for guest families.
Leave a Legacy
It’s no secret that the work we do to change children’s lives depends on your goodwill
– and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to share your goodwill. Each year,
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York provides strength for families
when they need it most.
Just as our families need an army of support, we do too to continue to make it happen.
With your help, together we can make sure more families find the comfort and
support they need. For more information on leaving a legacy, please call 315.476.1027
or visit rmhcpghome.org/cny.
Community Volunteers
We are grateful for the local schools, organizations, community members and groups
who continue to show their support for the CNY Ronald McDonald House in a variety
of ways, including Chapter 18 of the Teamster Horsemen Motorcycle Association and
Mott Road Elementary School’s Brownie troop and kindergarten class.
Superheroes from the Love Your Melon organization stopped by this summer to play
games and make superhero capes with children who were staying at the House.
Melissa Bucklin, a student from FayettevilleManlius, came in to tour the House, in addition
to organizing a collection of Wish List items in
her neighborhood for Christmas in July. She
collected many items for our pantry, along with
monetary donations.
Tom and Ruth Fonda from the Luther Memorial
Lutheran Church stopped by the House to visit and
donated an assortment of beautiful quilts that
were handmade by the church’s quilters guild.
Our friends from Advocates Inc., including Maggie
and her mentor, Tara, come in to volunteer
every week. Whenever she visits, you can find
Maggie with a smile on her face, in the kitchen
baking cupcakes.
time and talents to raising money for “The House That Love Built®.”
Building Bikes for Kids
Over the summer, a team of 25 community
volunteers from ASSA ABLOY Door Security
Solutions of Metro-Upstate New York
participated in an afternoon team-building
exercise that was modeled after “The
Apprentice.” The volunteers were divided into
six groups, and each group was tasked with
building a children’s bike. The six bikes, made
for boys and girls ages 5-8, were donated
to the House at the conclusion of the event.
Special thanks to American Outback Adventures
& Events, which coordinated the event and
provided bike materials and helmets.
Taco Tuesdays
Thank you to the community members and
organizations who have hosted “Taco Tuesday”
dinners throughout the past few months,
including the Yeshua Restoration Ministries
Girls’ Summer Club and the Central New York
Community Foundation.
A group from the Neuroscience and Psychology
Center for Autism Research in Electrophysiology,
including Megan LeBlanc, a research coordinator/
lab manager and student at Syracuse University,
took the time to come into the House, visit with
families and cook a Mexican feast.
2015 Board of Directors
Aaron D. Hugo,
1st Vice President
Kathleen Kotz,
2nd Vice President
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central New York
1100 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
P: 315.476.1027 | F: 315.476.5022 | rmhcny.org
© 2015 McDonald’s
Leola Rodgers,
President
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
paid
Syracuse, NY
Karen Ohliger,
Treasurer
Permit No. 999
Colleen M. Schmidt,
Secretary
Nader H. Atallah, M.D., FAAP, FASE, FACC
Amy Collins Justin Hummel
Douglas K. Lattner
Yvonne Annese LoRe
Mike Madigan
Steven Malone
Maureen E. Maney
Hon. Anthony J. Paris
Henry Pearl
Mark Renquin
Jonathan V. Riddell, M.D., FRCS
Matt Schiro
Visit rmhcny.org to sign up
for our e-newsletter
Staff
Beth M. Trunfio,
Executive Director
Jennifer Leitgeb,
Development Director
Lee Wilder,
House Program Manager
Rose McGevna,
Business Manager
Kristen Duda,
Event & Fundraising Specialist
Karen Hynes,
Administrative Office Assistant
Remember Our Donation Boxes
Whether you’re driving through or dining
in, please remember our charitable-donation
boxes at your local McDonald’s. Your spare
change directly supports the children and
families of Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The boxes
are one of
the largest
fundraisers
each year
for our local
organization.
save the date
14th Annual Many Hearts
One Home Celebration
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015
SRC Arena and Events Center
Onondaga Community College
Syracuse, New York
Billy Leader Memorial Race
Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016
Walt’s HobbyTown
Syracuse, New York
8th Annual Bella Casa
Fashion Show
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Holiday Inn
Liverpool, New York
Christmas in July
July 2016
Syracuse, New York
You Shop, Amazon Gives
For more information about upcoming events, visit rmhcny.org
For ticket, advertising and sponsorship information on any of the above
events, contact Kristen Duda at 315.476.1027 or kduda@rmhcny.org.
Now you can support Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY every time you
shop online! Using AmazonSmile, you’ll find the same selection of products,
low prices and service that Amazon offers, and AmazonSmile will donate a
portion of your purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.
12th Annual Golf Invitational
To start shopping, log on
to smile.amazon.com and
select Ronald McDonald
House Charities of CNY
from the list of eligible
organizations. Once you
have made a selection,
you can browse products
and shop as you normally would on Amazon. For every eligible purchase made
on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the
purchase price to the customer’s preselected organization.
Our annual golf event
was held on Thursday,
Sept. 10, at Turning
Stone Resort Casino.
Nearly 200 golfers
helped raise over
$93,000. A special
thank-you to our major
event sponsors: Turning
Stone Resort Casino, NBC3, CBS5, CW6 and CNYCentral.com,
Burdick BMW, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Coca-Cola, Enterprise
Holdings and Delta Air Lines. A big thank-you to our hole
sponsors and golfers.