Home Away From Home at Ronald's House

Jan Plequette, Volunteer and Family Room Director, shared with us how the Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo serves children and their families by providing a temporary home away from home for those who must be in Amarillo for medical services due to illness or injury. The home is open to families who live at least 50 miles outside of Amarillo, many of whom have newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit. Although the actual cost of the room each night is $65, families are asked to pay $15/night with funding available for those who can't afford to pay. The RMH in Amarillo has 13 bedrooms with private baths, a large kitchen with individual locking cabinets for families to keep their groceries in, and a pantry stocked by our caring community. Each month, between 25 and 28 businesses and organizations adopt an evening and prepare dinner for the residents who spend most of the waking hours at the hospital.

While at the hospital, RMH families can stop in for respite at the RMH Family Room at Northwest Texas Hospital for comfort and support. The room is equiped with comfortable furniture, a bathroom with a shower, laundry room and snacks. The Family Room is manned by volunteers between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. 365 days a year.

There are 305 Ronald McDonald Houses in 52 countries world-wide, and though the McDonalds Corporation does occasional promotions to benefit the House, the majority of the funding for local houses comes from the local communities. Consider getting involved in the golf tournament, collecting the tabs from soda cans, providing items from the wish list on the website www.rmhcofamarillo.org, organizing a cooking day or making a donation. Your contribution will go to good use. In Amarillo, the families who use the house the most are from Dumas, Dalhart, Perryton, Hereford and Wellington. If you would like to know more about how you can support or get involved with our local Ronald McDonald House, contact our very own Shelly Cunningham who brought the program to us.

Book Distribution to Kindergarteners will be taking place April 17 and 18 at San Jacinto, Glenwood and Wolflin Elementary Schools and volunteers are needed!! If you would like to help out, contact Mark Haworth by phone at 355-5954 or 331-5892 or by email at mark.haworth@ingfp.com.Hawaiian Cruisebr>

Mike Good introduced our newest memberDavid Saied,Sales Rep for Street Toyota, classification, Auto Sales, Retail for membership in the club.

Thanks to those who helped run our meeting today, including:

Renee Wilson, our President, who presided over the meeting

David O'Dell, who led us in the national anthem and pledge of allegiance

Cal Harriman, who offered the invocation

Bob Murray, who introduced our visitors and guests

Shelley Cunningham, program chair for April, who introduced today's program.