COLUMBUS—Final donations have been tallied and an impressive $247,148 was raised by the Dean’s Charity Steer Show for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Central Ohio.

Held August 2 at the Ohio State Fair’s Cooper Arena, the show far surpassed all expectations. “This wonderful event brings people together  to celebrate communities, agriculture, and children,” said Cathann A. Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) who serves as host for the event. The event is focused on youth who benefit from the Ronald McDonald House, which is the sole beneficiary of the funds, as well as the 4-H youth who provide their expertise and steers for the event. 4-H is the youth development program of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences through OSU Extension.

“Every dollar we raised means families can stay together only steps away from their hospitalized child during one of the most stressful times of their lives,” said Kress. Each year, RMHC provides more than 82,000 nights of food and rest to families of seriously ill children. The charity steer show included 11 celebrity exhibitors, paired with media personalities, a 4-H member, and their steer. Everyone donated their time to raise money and compete for bragging rights in front of a large crowd of supporters.

Show winners were:

• Best Steer: Team Nationwide (Dale Minyo, Kirt Walker, and Madisyn Brandt)
• Showmanship Award: Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Team Bill and Ty’s Excellent Adventure (Ty Higgins, Bill Patterson, and Rachel O’Reilly)
• Best Dressed: Team Jumanji’s Speed-steers (Cameron Fontana, Rick Ricart, and Karissa Treadway)
• People’s Choice: Team Milk Face Majesty (Angela An, Tom Feeney, and Owen Bailey)

And the new Grand Champion award for lead fundraiser goes to Team Nationwide (Dale Minyo, Kirt Walker, and Madisyn Brandt).

Hundreds attended the Steer Show event, while even more watched as the show was streamed via Facebook Live. Following the show, there was a “sale” following the same procedures as a typical livestock sale, but without the actual transfer of livestock. Instead, all bids and sale proceeds were donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

Families and 4-H youth who participated in the 2022 show represented the counties of Clark, Fairfield, Gallia, Geauga, Highland, Muskingum, Stark, Tuscarawas, Warren, and Wayne.

Dee Anders, chief executive officer and executive director of RMHC, said “Everyone at the Ronald McDonald House Charities would like to express our sincere gratitude for allowing us to be part of such a special day. The funds raised from this event are transformational for the charity.”

Nationwide was named a “Showman of Showman” which is bestowed upon donors of $25,000 or more. “Premiere Exhibitor” donors, who each donated $10,000 or more, include Nationwide; Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Telhio Credit Union; Tom and Debra Feeney, Safelite; Brian O’Mara, Belron Foundation; Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State CFAES; Ricart Automotive; and Ronald Wilheim.Money came from 379 donors with gifts ranging from $10 to $25,000.

The Dean’s Charity Steer Show is coordinated by CFAES, the Telhio Credit Union, and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and is held in partnership with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair. At the inaugural show in 2019, approximately $152,000 was raised. Due to COVID-19, no shows were held in 2020 and 2021.

Mark your calendars now for the 2023 Dean’s Charity Steer Show set for Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

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Many thanks to our donors who supported this event listed below

Beginning September 2, proceeds from beverage sleeve sales will go directly to support RMHC

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Local McDonald’s restaurants are providing another way to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio with the return of the Sleeves for Support program, featuring an exclusive Ohio State Buckeye® design. This fundraiser was developed in partnership with Coca-Cola and will generate funding for RMHC through sales of insulated beverage sleeves specifically designed to hold 30-ounce cups from McDonald’s. Sleeves will be available for purchase beginning September 2 at $6 each while supplies last.

“We’re excited to work with our partners at Coca-Cola to provide another option for our customers to support RMHC while enjoying their McDonald’s favorites,” said local McDonald’s Owner/Operator, Michael Telich. “Not only do these insulated sleeves help RMHC, they also help keep our guests’ drinks colder longer and are the perfect game day or tailgate accessory!”

In addition to Sleeves for Support, local McDonald’s restaurants give back through the Round-Up for RMHC program, where patrons can round their order up to the nearest dollar; through the Penny Per Happy Meal initiative where a portion of every Happy Meal sold benefits the Charity; and through RMHC Donation Boxes where customers can drop their spare change. Last year, $1.2 million was raised locally through these campaigns, and directly contributed to RMHC of Central Ohio, one of the largest chapters and Houses in the country.

“The Sleeves for Support campaign is one of many ways McDonald’s and its customers lend their support RMHC,” said Dee Anders, CEO & Executive Director of RMHC of Central Ohio. “McDonald’s was the founding mission partner of our charity when the first Ronald McDonald House opened 45 years ago, and the local McDonald’s team has always been an integral part of helping us fulfill our mission to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families.”

The 2022 Dean’s Charity Steer Show, held at the Ohio State Fair on Tuesday, August 2, raised an astounding $240,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

Media personalities, celebrity exhibitors, and 4-H youth, along with their steers, donated their time to raise money and compete for bragging rights in front of a large crowd of supporters in the Cooper Arena.

The show was hosted by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. The president of Ohio State, Kristina M. Johnson, was also in attendance. Clark Donley, news director at Columbus Radio Group, served as emcee of the event.

The final dollar amount raised won’t be available until after all donation pages close on August 31, so if you missed the show, there’s still plenty of time to donate to the worthy cause at give.osu.edu/deanscharitysteershow.

“The Dean’s Charity Steer Show was such a special day for our community in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio,” said Dee Anders, CEO and executive director of the Columbus house. “We are humbled by the outpouring of support from all of the celebrities, media, sponsors, donors and attendees.”

Families and 4-H youth who participated in the 2022 show represented the counties of Clark, Fairfield, Gallia, Geauga, Highland, Muskingum, Stark, Tuscarawas, Warren, and Wayne.

Media personalities included Joe Boxer, host, WCOL radio; Angela An, news anchor, WBNS-10 TV; Matt Barnes, morning co-anchor, NBC-4 TV; Cameron Fontana, entertainment reporter and host, ABC 6/FOX 28/CW, Good Day Columbus; Kayla Hanley, morning radio personality, 92.3 WCOL radio; Tim Irr, news anchor, WSAZ-TV News Channel 3, Huntington, West Virginia; Ty Higgins, senior director of communications, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Dale Minyo, farm broadcaster, Ohio Ag Net.

Celebrity exhibitors included Troy Balderson, public servant; Matt Harper, McDonald’s owner/operator; Tom Feeney, executive chairman, Belron North America; Clark Kellogg, former Ohio State and NBA player and CBS Sports college basketball analyst; Bob Kendrick, anchor, ABC-6 News; Rick Ricart, Ricart Automotive; Jane Scott, executive director, Columbus Metropolitan Club; Ryan Smith, president, University of Rio Grande; Gene Smith, senior vice president and athletic director, Ohio State; Bill Patterson, president, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Kirt Walker, chief executive officer, Nationwide.

Show winners were:

1. Best Steer: Team Nationwide – The Dynamic Trio (Dale Minyo, Kirt Walker, and Madisyn Brandt of Tuscarawas County)
2. Showmanship Award: Team Bill and Ty’s Excellent Adventure (Ty Higgins, Bill Patterson, and Rachel O’Reilly of Geauga County)
3. Best Dressed: Team Jumanji’s Speed-steers – Wheelin’, Dealin’, and Steerin’ (Cameron Fontana, Rick Ricart, and Karissa Treadway of Warren County)
4. People’s Choice: Team Milk Face Majesty (Angela An, Tom Feeney, and Owen Bailey of Wayne County)

Following the show, there was a “sale” following the same procedures as a typical livestock sale, but without the actual transfer of livestock. Instead, all bids and sale proceeds were donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (RMHC).

“My deepest appreciation to everyone who made the 2022 Dean’s Charity Steer Show a success,” said Kress. “From great partners to outstanding youth, all the donors, those who honored us by watching, and all the helpers. I am overwhelmed by your support, enthusiasm, and friendship. Special thanks to Elizabeth Harsh, Bill Tom, Leslie Bumgarner, Virgil Strickler, Aaron Arnett, Dee Anders, Ryan Wilkins, Darby Jay Walton…and all the other volunteers. The success of this day would not have been possible without Lori Bowman, and Lora Vest, as well as Keith DiDonato, Cody Snyder, and Rob Frost.”

The Dean’s Charity Steer Show is coordinated by CFAES, the Telhio Credit Union, and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and is held in partnership with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair. At the inaugural show in 2019, approximately $152,000 was raised for RMHC.

Located across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Columbus Ronald McDonald House provides not only lodging, but also meals, a place to rest, laundry facilities, an exercise room, informal gathering areas, and activities for siblings of hospitalized children. Each year, more than 82,000 nights of rest are provided to families of seriously ill children.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature has put the RMHC Joe Mortellaro Golf Classic in a water hazard. We sincerely apologize that rain has caused the three golf courses to close. Due to circumstances out of our control, we won’t be able to play golf tomorrow. We really wish this wasn’t the case!

But, don’t fret! We will still get together for dinner at 3:00 pm in person with a chance to hear from Coach Chris Holtmann, and connect with your fellow RMHC supporters. In addition to dinner, each golfer will be provided with a voucher to play golf at a later date on the course where you were scheduled to play. In addition, we will have giveaways and the chance to pick up the items that you would have received on the course, including your special Titelist gift.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please email Maranda.Staub@R​MHC-CentralOhio.org

IMPORTANT DETAILS

• WE ARE SO SORRY, BUT DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE WON’T BE ABLE TO PLAY GOLF AS PLANNED
• DINNER, PRESENTED BY GRANGE, AND SPECIAL REMARKS WILL STILL TAKE PLACE AT 3:00 PM AT WEDGEWOOD GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
• LOCATION: 9600 Wedgewood Blvd, Powell, OH 43065
• DRINKS WILL BE SERVED AT 3:00 PM
• DINNER WILL BE SERVED AT 3:30 PM
• REMARKS WILL BEGIN AT 3:45 PM
• GOLFER GIFTS, TITLEIST GIFTS, AND OTHER SPECIAL GIVEAWAYS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DINNER PROGRAM
• REMARKS WILL BE GIVEN BY COACH CHRIS HOLTMANN AND OTHERS
• ALL AUCTION ITEMS WILL BE ONLINE, INCLUDING THE EXTREMELY VALUABLE PLANNED LIVE AUCTION ITEMS
• AUCTION OPEN UNTIL NOON ON TUESDAY, JULY 19
• ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT RMHC OF CENTRAL OHIO

BID ON OUR ONLINE AUCTION

The auction for the RMHC Joe Mortellaro Golf Classic, presented by Encova, is full of memorable experiences, priceless opportunities, and one of a kind items. The very special items that we had planned for a live auction will now be part of the online auction open to anyone in the public. To learn more about this exciting auction and place your bids, visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/pyy/i/

Auction will close on Tuesday, July 19 at noon

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CENTRAL OHIO. AGAIN, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

COLUMBUS—The Dean’s Charity Steer Show, an event that benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Central Ohio, returns to the Ohio State Fair in 2022 after a two-year COVID-inspired hiatus. Hosted by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), it will be held from 2–4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, in the Cooper Arena at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair.

“This exciting event brings together our community to celebrate agriculture and children, both for our 4-H youth as well as children benefiting from the Ronald McDonald House,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. “Every dollar we raise means families can stay together only steps away from their hospitalized child during one of the most stressful times of their lives.”

Each year, more than 82,000 nights of rest are provided to families of seriously ill children by the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. The facility provides a home away from home for families facing a child’s illness and hospitalization.

Currently, the Columbus Ronald McDonald House is undergoing a major expansion, more than doubling the size of the facility. Once completed, it will boast 202 guest rooms, a new kitchen and dining facility, new staff offices, and a community event room. It will once again be the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world after the expansion.

To raise funds for RMHC, 11 celebrity exhibitors, most of whom have no livestock experience, will not only show a steer during the Dean’s Charity Steer Show, but will also compete to see who can raise the most money. Most exhibitors will team with a local media personality as well as an experienced 4-H livestock family and their steer, and will practice with them before entering the show ring.

Families and 4-H youth, most from central Ohio, will participate and represent the counties of Clark, Fairfield, Gallia, Geauga, Highland, Muskingum, Stark, Tuscarawas, Warren, and Wayne.

Celebrity exhibitors will include Troy Balderson, public servant; Matt Harper, McDonald’s owner/operator; Tom Feeney, executive chairman, Belron North America; Clark Kellogg, former Ohio State and NBA player and CBS Sports college basketball analyst; Bob Kendrick, anchor, ABC-6 News; Rick Ricart, Ricart Automotive; Jane Scott, executive director, Columbus Metropolitan Club; Ryan Smith, president, University of Rio Grande; Gene Smith, senior vice president and athletic director, Ohio State; Bill Patterson, president, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Kirt Walker, chief executive officer, Nationwide.

Media personalities will include Joe Boxer, host, WCOL radio; Angela An, news anchor, WBNS-10 TV; Matt Barnes, morning co-anchor, NBC-4 TV; Cameron Fontana, entertainment reporter and host, ABC 6/FOX 28/CW, Good Day Columbus; Kayla Hanley, morning radio personality, 92.3 WCOL radio; Tim Irr, news anchor, WSAZ-TV News Channel 3, Huntington, West Virginia; Ty Higgins, senior director of communications, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; and Dale Minyo, farm broadcaster, Ohio Ag Net.

More than 900 spectators attended the inaugural Dean’s Charity Steer Show in 2019, and nearly 8,000 tuned in to watch via livestream on Facebook. Donation amounts ranged from 81 cents to $15,000, with a total of $152,000 raised for RMHC.

Located across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Columbus Ronald McDonald House provides not only lodging, but also meals, a place to rest, laundry facilities, an exercise room, informal gathering areas, and activities for siblings of hospitalized children.

The Dean’s Charity Steer Show is coordinated by CFAES, the Telhio Credit Union, and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, and it is held in partnership with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair.

To learn more and to donate to your favorite celebrity exhibitor or media personality, visit give.osu.edu/deanscharitysteershow.

Many thanks to John Coffman Photography for capturing photos from our Ground Breaking Ceremony

The Ronald McDonald House located in Columbus, Ohio will be adding more guest rooms, dining facilities, and community room – launching community campaign “A Million Reasons”

COLUMBUS, OHIO –October 1, 2021  – Since 1982, the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Ohio has provided one million nights of rest for families of seriously ill, hospitalized children. In order to serve even more families at the House, RMHC of Central Ohio has embarked on the largest expansion project in our history – a transformational campaign to provide a million more nights of rest for families when they need it most. This project will include:

• An additional 80 guest rooms to accommodate more families
• New community rooms, expanded kitchen and dining, and green space for families
• Necessary renovations to the existing structure

With the expansion RMHC will be equipped to serve an additional 2,000 families each year, increasing the families served annually to 6,500. Without the services RMHC provides, the families who rely on RMHC for housing and food will be forced to pay an average of $100 a night for local accommodations as well as an average of $20 per person, per day, to feed three meals. Therefore, the total annual savings to families after the expansion will be approximately $14,200,000.

“We are thrilled to embark on this new project and work with our community for A Million Reasons,” said Dee Anders, CEO and Executive Director for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. “This expansion will allow us to make a difference in the lives of so many more children and families, and we sincerely appreciate the support of our community. Without the generosity of Columbus and the Central Ohio region, we would not be able to accomplish this exciting growth.”

When a child is sick and needs specialty care in a hospital, the Ronald McDonald House is there to help keep families close. Located directly across the street from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Ohio is one of the largest of its kind in the world. In fact, over 82,000 nights of rest are provided every year through the program.

Doctors and nurses take care of patients – RMHC takes care of the family. If it weren’t for the Ronald McDonald House and the services provided by the tireless staff and volunteers, many families would simply not be able to afford the necessary care for their children.

RMHC of Central Ohio currently serves more than 4,500 families annually whose children are treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, OhioHealth, Mount Carmel Health Systems, and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. As those tremendous hospital systems grow, so the need at RMHC grows. RMHC of Central Ohio is kicking off a Community Campaign titled A Million Reasons. The charity has provided about one million nights at the Ronald McDonald House since opening in 1982, and is expanding to continue to provide that service for the many families who need it. The Community Campaign is aiming to raise one million dollars of community support. Visit the Ronald McDonald House Community Campaign website: www.RMHC-CentralOhio.org/AMillionReasons

By Jeff Mottice

The Medical Journey

My daughter, Taylorann, was born with a number of congenital birth defects and diagnosed with a multitude of other VACTERL Association conditions. As naïve first-time parents, her mom Tracy and I could never have imagined the complex journey our little girl was to begin from the moment hospital staff whisked her away shortly after discovering some of the visible birth defects.

It was a prolonged labor but nothing that caused any suspicion by the doctors and nurses that she would arrive into this world with a complex medical condition. Shortly after her birth, once the umbilical cord was cut and she rested on Tracy’s chest, the post-birth prenatal team began their examination.

I still vividly remembers the faces of the prenatal team as they discovered “something” during the exam. They then noticed the cold stare of a father who sensed that “something” was not right, and immediately motioned me over from the side of the delivery bed to explain what they had discovered…and what wasn’t discovered.

The team tried to minimize the issue and explained to me that surgery would be required.  A pediatric surgeon was called in to provide further examination and details of what was to follow. Still under the influence of medication and an epidural, Tracy had no idea what was going on only a few feet away from her bed and was only told after Taylorann was taken from the room.

A week after she was born, Taylorann left the PICU and as new parents, we left with additional fears of unanswered questions about her medical condition along with a long list of scheduled doctor appointments and medical tests.

This was the beginning of a journey with parallel pathways; the path of the intense, complex and medically focused life of Taylorann, alongside a long road of little to no understanding from an outside world.

With little guidance and limited information available on her condition, additional congenital defects revealed themselves with each medical exam and surgery.  Tracy and I did our own research and pushed hard for answers. We remained vigilant and quickly realized we needed to be our daughter’s advocates. This meant, at times, being bolder with communication to her doctors than we would normally be. Yet in doing so, we grew to love her surgeons, nurses, and care-givers and developed a great relationship with them. What they may have lacked in knowledge about her specific condition, the majority of them made up for it in their care, compassion and continued fight for our daughter.

Her doctors kept her alive, performing surgeries that – years later – were validated by specialists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital as having been done properly. That is not always the case for many kids having surgeries performed at their local hospitals.

The Columbus Ronald McDonald House Becomes a Home Away From Home

As Taylorann grew from a baby, to a toddler, to a little girl, and then to a teenager, and now as a young adult, her medical journey took her to physicians and specialists at multiple hospitals across Ohio. Having landed the majority of her overall care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in late 2014, Taylorann now has a collaborative team of specialists that continue to manage and maintain her overall medical care.

Living outside of Cleveland, the multiple surgeries, procedures, illnesses and hospital stays at Nationwide Children’s, resulted in a personal introduction to the incredible people and charity of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. It wasn’t as if we weren’t familiar with Ronald McDonald House Charities, but it was the first time we had to be on the receiving end of its care and mission.

Receiving was difficult at first, especially for me.  However, with the long days and nights across the street at the hospital, I quickly came to the realization that pride was preventing me from truly receiving the blessing of care that the Ronald McDonald House offered for my family as well as myself.

Over the last six plus years since their our stay, we simply cannot express the gratitude and love we have towards – not just the charity itself – but an affinity to the staff and volunteers as well.  In the midst of stress from Taylorann’s hospital stays at Nationwide Children’s over those years, the Ronald McDonald House has become a cornerstone of support, a place of rest, a comfort from hunger, and a pillar of love.  That allows Tracy & I the ability to provide the best possible support for Taylorann while she is hospitalized.

Early on, and long before Covid-19, Taylorann’s sisters would stay at the House on weekends while visiting from Cleveland.  Her youngest sister Karissa, in the first few years of stay, would spend hours in the Princess Room while her middle sister, Kendall, loved the Blue Jackets Clubhouse stairwell.  For those stays during warmer months, both would enjoy the outside play area, especially the water sprinklers.  Tracy and I, when not at the hospital, would spend time in the Buckeye Family Room on the third floor catching up on emails, voicemails and other outside responsibilities.  Kendall, now a nursing student in college, fondly recalled those Clubhouse play days just last month when she once again came to stay with her sister over a long weekend at the hospital.

Taylorann, having been hospitalized four times in the last eight months during the pandemic certainly has made our stays at the Ronald McDonald House look a little different.  Regardless of the changes needed to be made for everyone’s safety, the family will forever be thankful to the staff and volunteers.  Covid-19 didn’t stop the need for help, it magnified it.  And thus, it became clear that there were indeed personal sacrifices made by the staff in order to provide the services offered to families. The added stress and responsibilities never diminished the care, concern and support provided prior to the pandemic.

The Ronald McDonald House Leaves an Impression on The Whole Family

The Ronald McDonald House has become an integral part of our family; not just in receiving but also in our continued giving.  I fuel my coffee addiction by mainly going to McDonald’s leaving change in the drop box or rounding-up the total, collecting aluminum can tabs, educating family and friends about Ronald McDonald Charities, and donating resources.

And like the Mission of Ronald McDonald Charities, Taylorann desires to help and use her life experiences and her medical history to become an advocate for kids with long-term medical conditions. Although her college education started two years later than most her age, and has been interrupted with the most recent hospital stay, the resilience ingrained from years of challenge will undoubtedly serve her well to accomplish and fulfill that desire.

Until then, she continues her battle and longs to persevere. Even in illness, she encourages, motivates and inspires, not just younger kids with similar conditions, but also adults who have had long-term medical procedures.  As for her family, it is of great comfort to know that as her journey continues, the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio is steadfast in its mission to provide the home away from home when needed.

Photo courtesy: Facebook/Tom Schneider

He was already a rock climber, a repeller, and a sky diver. Then, about four years ago, Clintonville resident Tom Schneider came across a unicycle at a garage sale. It brought back childhood memories, and for five bucks, he decided to buy it. He had been looking for a new sport that would take all of his concentration and he thought this might just be the challenge he needed. Schneider says its just like riding a two-wheeled bike. You don’t forget. Soon, he was buying a mountain unicycle and a long-distance street unicycle. Now he rides his unicycles not just for fun, but for fundraising. “I’ve done well over a dozen charity rides between 25-50 miles each,” he said.

After seeing a local tv new segment about 15-year-old sidewalk chalk artist, Cecilia Martyna, raising money for the Ronald McDonald House, Tom decided he would do the same.

“On Friday, July 31 I will be riding the Scioto mile 25 times for a total of 25 miles for RMHC. I will be riding from the South parking lot to the party house, back to the South parking lot. I hope you’ll join me by riding with me, too!” Tom says he had heard of the Ronald McDonald House but wasn’t exactly sure what services were provided. “The doctors at Nationwide Children’s saved my grandson’s life. Ian is now 17, and quite the healthy young man,” he said. “I can’t imagine what a parent would go through traveling from out of town…don’t know Columbus, never met the specialist, don’t know where to stay….then there’s the Ronald McDonald House.”

“It will be an honor to ride this one as I have a personal connection to Children’s, and am so very thankful for the staff at RMHC for providing a loving, passionate, caring hand in a crazy time of a families life.”

To learn more about Tom’s ride and how you can support his fundraiser, click here.

Oftentimes, creativity shines brightest during hard days. Recently, 15-year-old chalk artist Cecilia Martyna, a student at Dublin Jerome High School, contacted us to ask if she could draw a picture of Ronald McDonald in front our Ronald McDonald House and we gladly accepted the offer. Friday afternoon, she completed this work facing the Ronald McDonald House on the sidewalk in front of our building in just over three hours. Within the next 24 hours, her artwork had been shared to over 1,000,000 people on social media, and her story was aired on television stations in Columbus and Cleveland. (See the progress of her work below)

By using her talent and taking time to create a special encouraging message like this one, Cecilia warmed the hearts of guests at the Ronald McDonald House, as well as front line workers at the Ronald McDonald House and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Do you have an encouraging message to share with guests of the Ronald McDonald House, or our brave employees at Ronald McDonald House and Nationwide Children’s Hospital? Film a simple selfie video and post it to Facebook. Tag us @RMHCofCentralOhio, and encourage our guests and staff!

Thank you, Cecilia, for your contribution. This is a special gift that we will always hold in our hearts. You are an inspiration to our entire community!

Click here to see the story on 10TV.com