When Jeff Heimberger was very young, he almost drowned. The co-owner/operator of Coffee Connections in Central Ohio is the living embodiment of a medical miracle. As his mom, Alice, described in a letter to her son about those terrifying days years ago, it was a “great contrast between trauma and calm.” The calm came from the support Jeff’s family received from staying at a Ronald McDonald House. Jeff shared the letter with us and we’ve highlighted some excerpts from the letter here.

In the letter, she describes the start of that fateful day. “Picture about 70 people at a church picnic. Lots of good food, followed by laughing, talking, kids and teens having great fun in the pool. Later on, “Time for lemonade & ice cream” and everyone headed across the yard. Well, all but the 3-year-old boy who, unseen by the others, fell into the water.” That little boy, was Jeff. As Jeff’s mom described it, the teens at the party ran back to the pool after quickly finishing the ice cream and one tossed a quarter into the deep end of the pool, challenging the others to find it. Jeff’s 13-year-old brother, Paul, outran the others and dove in. Instead of the quarter, he found his brother’s lifeless body at the bottom of the pool.

“[Your] father, a nurse anesthetist with considerable experience in high stress situations, and another medical professional were right there. They did CPR, noting there was no response of pupils to a flashlight. This was really bad. Daddy hoped for intubation supplies in the ambulance. Oh, no. Adult-sized only. He felt helpless, stunned, & scared,” she wrote about Jeff’s dad, Dale, frantically trying to save his son.

Jeff was taken by ambulance to a local hospital in northeast Ohio, then flown by helicopter to Akron Children’s Hospital where he was put on a ventilator while in a coma. Leaving Jeff’s brother Paul & sister Janelle with family, his mom & dad drove to be with their son. Alice says, upon arrival, she and Dale were told Jeff “might not make it through the night and also that young children who do survive a drowning usually have little or no long-term damage or else severe physical and mental impairment. It was a harrowing night. For the siblings, thoughts of the day and not knowing what was happening to their brother were intensified by separation from their parents.”

Alice writes about waiting for hours for brief times of standing at Jeff’s bedside and watching him hooked-up to tubes to keep him alive. She describes the staff, monitors, beeping/flashing equipment and other kids in the ICU in life-threatening conditions as being overwhelming. She goes on to say, “Then, back to the waiting room, in close proximity to the number of others experiencing and expressing details of their grief and trauma. Hours of clock-watching and overhearing the telling and retelling of nightmares all too real.”

Fortunately, the next morning, young Jeff came out of his coma and was moved out of ICU to a regular room. “At that point, Ronald McDonald House became home for dad, mom, brother, & sister for several days until discharge,” Jeff’s mom wrote. “What a sigh of relief: a place to gather the family from their scattering and to begin healing from the shattering scare. It provided privacy and a calming atmosphere. Ahh. A shower, beds, space, home-prepared food, non-intrusive but very caring support from volunteers.”

She tells her son in the letter that one of the setbacks he was having during the recovery was very unnerving. “…at first you fell down whenever you tried to walk and asked the same question over & over. Having been warned of possible impairments, this was very troubling. I went from Ronald McDonald House at 3 a.m. to ask nurses to check your medicine side effects that were listed under Dilaudid, which you received because of seizures in the helicopter due to brain swelling. It’s good just knowing there are Ronald McDonald Houses for those difficult situations, those needing ready accessibility to hospitals, financial help, family stability, ability to be supportive to their patient and in communication with medical personnel as directly as possible, etc. They are also beneficial to the folks who participate as community helpers – a sense of purpose, an outlet for kindness, through practical service to others…”

The happy ending to this story, of course, is that Jeff was released from the hospital and had none of the lingering affects forewarned to his parents by doctors that are so common after a near drowning. Thanks to Jeff for sharing this miraculous story as written to him by his mom for this special Mother’s Day post.

Editor’s Note: Last year, Jeff’s cafe, raised hundreds of dollars for RMHC of Central Ohio. Now, during the month of May, Coffee Connections is, again, donating tips to help us during the Covid-19 crisis as we continue to keep families close to their hospitalized kids.  While the other locations are temporarily closed during the pandemic, you can order items for pick-up (and add a tip) at the Hilliard Coffee Connections everyday 7 a.m. – 12 p.m. by ordering through the cafe’s app. Download the app by texting “coffee” to 484848 or go to coffeeconnections.me/app. (Closed Sunday for Mother’s Day. ❤)

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

Today was April Fool’s Day. But not many were in a joking mood this year. This pandemic has put everyone on edge. Yet everywhere, we do see reasons to smile. Today, our events associate, Anna Baich, sent out a letter to groups of women who are the backbone of our giving communities in Central Ohio and beyond. These are women who are always there when we need them. Volunteering at special events. Baking for our longest-running event, the bake sale. Attending our fundraisers throughout the year. Two of which, Handbag HULLABALOO!™ Dublin & Powell, needed to be postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Even though we cant have social gatherings to raise money for our Ronald McDonald House due to social distancing, we’re still determined to support those families that still need to be here in Columbus because a little one needs to be at a Columbus hospital…even during a pandemic. Here’s the letter from Anna. It starts with a thank you postcard from one of our grateful families.

This group of women I am emailing now collectively raised over $366,000 for RMHC families in 2019 (at our women-focused fundraising events).  Why?  Because you each care about something greater than yourself.  You believe in helping fellow moms, dads, brothers and sisters, whose faces you will never see, whose hands you will never shake, but whose hearts you did touch.  We don’t get to choose when our child gets sick or when we will need help from others.  But we do get to choose what we do when faced with a need in front of us.  Thank you for becoming an army who kept our doors open for critically ill children and their families last year.

This year, our families’ burdens have only snowballed.  With the current COVID-19 pandemic and economic conditions, many families we serve have suffered from recent job loss, a lack of insurance benefits, and wavering financial security.  Not to mention the pre-existing worry over medical decisions, mounting medical bills and strain from distant support systems.

Just like a family, RMHC is nothing without those who support us when we need it most.  The Columbus Ronald McDonald House is, and always will be, committed to providing a steadfast source of hope for families.  And our RMHC family is only strong because of the people who are a part of it.

Please consider sharing this link to your social media to spread our COVID-19 Response Fund.  The women included here have more influence over our city than any of us can conceive.

We are thankful for you!

Anna Baich

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio is committed to the health and well being of our community. Our team is working diligently to address concerns with the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). In an effort to maintain the safety of our community, we have suspended non-essential volunteer groups. In addition, many meal groups have cancelled or rescheduled for a later date. As you know, the Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room are completely dependent upon volunteerism to operate.

In these challenging times, we are fortunate to have many people asking how they can help us at RMHC. If you are interested in helping us provide meals to guests of the Ronald McDonald House, please consider making a donation. To learn more about supporting the meal program, called Team Cuisine, please email Katherine.Becke​r@RMHC-CentralO​hio.org. To make a financial donation to support our operations, please visit rmhc-centralohio.org/donation-form/.

In addition, RMHC of Central Ohio has postponed our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Handbag HULLABALOO! Dublin in compliance with Governor DeWine’s Executive Order. We will be working with our event committees to announce the rescheduled dates for those events as they become available.

Please know that we sincerely appreciate the support of our community, and look forward to the day that we can open our doors once again to volunteer groups.

Thank you,

RMHC of Central Ohio

By Molly Todd

Molly holds one of the quilts with a young artist who created the centerpiece.

Molly with a young artist who has a piece advocating for young people to read.

In about March 2018, I was asked to attend a “quilt guild” meeting with a friend I had recently met.  I have sewn all my life but knew nothing of quilting and thought I had no interest.  I mistakenly believed quilting to be all about making a bedspread.  But, in an effort to honor my friend’s request, I agreed to go.  I was absolutely enthralled with the “pictures made out of fabric” that I saw at that meeting.  I knew this was something I must do.  I bought a new sewing machine in May of 2018 and took off like a racehorse out of the gates.

My first quilts were a series of nursery rhyme scenes from my own original drawings.  I hoped to sell them but figured I could give them to my grandchildren if they didn’t sell.  Much to my surprise, when I showed them to the owner of a local children’s book store, she bought them all and asked me to make a few more.  She hung them above the bookshelves in her store and they fit perfectly and look great.  Then she asked me if I would make a quilt from a watercolor picture that her son had made for her.  She wanted this quilt to be bigger so children could snuggle in it on the reading couch in the back of her store. I first spoke with the artist to ask permission because I want children to know that they have ownership of things that they create.  I make a big deal out of this with every quilt I make.  When I completed this quilt, which depicts a mouse saying “Please read”, I knew I had found a calling.  This process combines my passion for children’s original artwork with my lifelong love of fabrics.

The children’s bookstore asked me to put business cards on their counter and I began to receive calls for quilts.  One day I met a woman who asked me about my quilting.  I will never forget her question to me after we had spoken just a few minutes.  She said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if you could use your talent to honor children who have died?”  She told me that she had just lost her great nephew two weeks prior and that she had some of his last pieces of artwork.   I was quite taken aback and told her I would think about that.  My husband and I decided that we really did not need the money that a quilt business brings in, so……I contacted my new friend and said that, yes, I would make that quilt as a gift to her great nephew’s mother.   At that point I began telling each family that there was a catch to this gift.  When I brought them their quilt, they would need to refer me to another family that I could sew for.  Not necessarily a family who had experienced loss but a family whose child was experiencing illness.  This worked well but extremely slowly.  I knew I could do much more.  I mentioned this to a friend and she told me to contact the Ronald McDonald House so I did.  It was a great decision because now I have access to many families that I can honor with a quilt.

I figure it takes me about 20 hours to make most of the quilts which measure about 3’ x 4’.  This includes time for fabric shopping and a lot of staring at the original artwork.  The most fun part of the process is deciding how to approach the project because the medium used makes different approaches necessary.

I make sure each family receives their quilt within a couple weeks.  I have delivered nine quilts to Ronald McDonald families so far.

Marta and her father Gustavo hold the quilt Molly made for them before leaving our Ronald McDonald House to return home to Spain.

My very favorite comment was made by a father from Spain.  He and his wife bring their two daughters to Columbus every three months for treatments.  He pointed at the quilt I had made the girls and he said, “This is great reminder………of you………of here………of all”.  That’s about when I lost it and I cried all the way home in the car.  I think I would like those words printed on a plaque or something.

I do it because I love to do it.  I love to get inside a child’s head as I analyze what they drew first and what later, or how they used the marker or paint brush.  I love the honesty and the freedom and the charm of children’s artwork.  I love to work with fabrics.

The culture of quilting seems to me to be about two things really: comfort and legacy.  I hope that families find physical comfort snuggled under a quilt I have made.  And I label each piece carefully so that when it’s found in a box, many generations from now, it will also serve as a legacy for the child that inspired it. I get more pleasure than I can describe from looking at children’s artwork and trying to recreate it.  I am beyond honored to be a part of their stories.

I plan to continue to make these quilts indefinitely, as long as I am financially able.  I use only quality materials and they are not inexpensive.  It is my paying customers that allow me to continue to make gifts.  As long as I can rustle up a few paying customers, I will make quilts for the families of Ronald McDonald House.

I have always been a person who goes after what they want; who makes things happen; that type of person.  In my retirement years, I have been overcome with the feeling that it’s time to stop that; to just relax and see what comes to me.  This new approach to life is working miraculously for me.  Not one aspect of my quilt making has been my own idea.  Each step has occurred because someone asked me to do something or encouraged me to do something.  Two years ago I could not have imagined that I would be doing the things that I’m doing today and I’ve never been happier.  As I said earlier, I am beyond honored to be a part of the Ronald McDonald House and the families that I sew for.  Sincere thanks to all of you.

By Justin Thompson, BSJ ’21

Ohio University students join in circles before team contribution announcements are made at BobcaThon 2019. This year’s BobcaThon 12-hour dance marathon is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15, in the Baker University Center Ballroom. Photo by Max Catalano, BSVC ’20

In its first five years, BobcaThon raised nearly $350,000 in support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. But for the Ohio University students behind this year-long fundraiser that culminates in a 12-hour dance marathon, it’s the stories of courage and resilience from area residents served by the nonprofit that will echo throughout their lifetimes.

“There are moments of real emotion where we all kind of realize what the impact of this event is and how important all our work is,” said Maggie Wolf, BSC ’20.

An Ohio University senior, Wolf has participated in BobcaThon since her first year at OHIO and is serving as president of this year’s fundraiser, which will come to a close on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the BobcaThon 2020 12-hour dance marathon. The event is the pinnacle moment in a year-long campus- and community-wide quest to raise awareness for children with serious illness and their families as well as funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, which provides free housing, meals and other assistance to families of children in Columbus-area hospitals.

Wolf has seen the impact of the nonprofit’s work firsthand. A couple close to her stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while their son underwent cancer treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Sadly, the boy passed away last summer.

“That’s the connection I really feel now,” said Wolf, adding that stories like these are the reason BobcaThon exists and a big component of the dance marathon, during which families served by the Ronald McDonald House take the stage and share their experiences.

Luc Messenger and Becca Marra, members of the BobcaThon 2019 leadership team, hug after hearing the announcement that the year-long fundraiser had generated more than $110,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. Photo by Max Catalano, BSVC ’20

These stories, Wolf said, don’t always have happy endings, but they remind everyone how necessary their efforts are.

“A lot of the time it’s professors or administrators from the University who are telling these stories about their children,” Wolf said. “And even if you might not know the professor, it’s really eye-opening to see that they live right here in the community and are facing such a challenge.”

Coming off a record-setting year in which BobcaThon raised more than $110,000, the BobcaThon 2020 leadership team worked with advisers in the Ohio University Alumni Association to solicit some expert advice on how to sustain the fundraiser’s momentum. They consulted with an individual who has studied dance marathon fundraisers and who advised them, in light of their extraordinary success over the past five years, to focus their efforts more on awareness than dollars raised.

“We shifted our focus to outreach and trying to partner with as many student organizations as possible, so we could set ourselves up better for future fundraising,” Wolf said. “We added new positions to our team, so I think we grew in different aspects than just the dollar amount that everyone sees.”

Wolf said that organizers expect about 370 dancers to participate this year, 55 more than last year. Each BobcaThon participant has been asked to raise at least $100.

For the students who participate in BobcaThon, it’s an opportunity to make an impact on a community that most of them will only call home for a few years and a chance to see the power of their philanthropy in action.

For Wolf, her final BobcaThon will be bittersweet as the fundraiser has not only been a significant part of her OHIO experience, but one she will carry with her after she graduates.

“BobcaThon is what helped me secure my internship and made me passionate about nonprofits going forward,” she said. “I’ve learned so much about how to present myself in a professional way and how to lead my peers, which at first can be kind of awkward. And, being a part of BobcaThon has given me a chance to give back to a community that has given me the best four years.”

The sixth annual BobcaThon kicks off at noon on Feb. 15 in the Baker University Center Ballroom and ends at midnight when this year’s fundraising total will be announced. For information on how you can get involved in and support BobcaThon 2020, visit the BobcaThon Facebook page.

This article & photos courtesy of, and originally posted January 27 on, OhioToday.org.

(MARYSVILLE, Ohio) – The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) BEST Program for youth ages 8-21 years hosted the BEST Celebrity Showdown at the Clark County Cattle Battle to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. The event was held on Friday, January 24, 2020, at the Champions Center in Springfield, Ohio. The Clark County Cattle Producers assisted in coordinating the event.

Youth who raised a minimum of $100 participated in this year’s community service project, dressed up their cattle and presented them to the celebrity judge, Erica Collura of Cincinnati 12 News. Through donations from family, friends, the community and members of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, youth participating in the Celebrity Showdown raised $16,370. Additionally, a silent auction was held with numerous items selling to generous supporters that raised an additional $3,710 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. In total, the event raised $20,080, and contributions can continue to be made through May 2, 2020.

Incentive prizes will be awarded to the top fundraisers at the OCA BEST Program Awards Banquet on May 2, 2020. Donations to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio will continue to be accepted after the Celebrity Showdown until the BEST Banquet. Anyone can donate conveniently online at https://www.ohiocattle.org/best/community-service. Donations can be attributed to a BEST participant’s name through the online donation form. Online contributions may be made through May 2, 2020 to be accredited to the BEST participant’s cumulative fundraising total for the year.

About Ohio Cattlemen’s Association BEST program

BEST is a youth program of the OCA that recognizes Ohio’s junior beef exhibitors through a series of shows. Juniors who participate in these sanctioned shows earn points for their placing at each show. The OCA BEST program promotes educating Ohio’s juniors about the beef industry’s issues and rewards the successful accomplishments and hard work of those junior beef producers.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio keep families together and near the medical care they need. Core RMHC programs — Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programs — provide access to health care and enable family-centered care. For more information, visit www.rmhc-centralohio.org or call (614) 227-3700.

Photos Courtesy: Ohio Cattleman’s Association

[Columbus, OH] December 17, 2019– Celebrating Easton’s 21st year of giving, the Easton Community Foundation will partner with six community organizations for its 2020 Change for Charity program. With more than 100 applications submitted for consideration, the following six non-profits have been selected and will be featured throughout Easton over a two-month period:

• A Kid Again (January / February)
• Besa (March / April)
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (May / June)
• The King Arts Complex (July / August)
• Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio (September / October)
• LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence (November / December

The Easton Community Foundation selects six area nonprofits to highlight throughout the property so that Easton’s 30 million annual visitors are aware of each organization’s mission, community impact, and also how to access their services. In addition, the nonprofits receive a portion of the parking meter and ticket revenue to support their community efforts.
Since its debut, the Easton Community Foundation has provided over $7.5 million in financial support to hundreds of organizations that strengthen the central Ohio community through services and programming in the areas of education, health and social services. Its primary community-focused initiatives – in addition to the Change for Charity program – include Cornerstone Event fundraisers for some of central Ohio’s most respected charities, the Easton Community Foundation Scholarships for area high school students at schools including Mifflin High School, Northland High School, Fort Hayes High School, Gahanna Lincoln High School, Linden-McKinley High School and Columbus Africentric and events and partnerships benefiting the community, and local organizations.

In 2019, Easton hosted events for Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX), Pink Ribbon Girls, Boy Scouts of America, The Columbus Foundation, Buckeye Ranch, Harmony Project, Songs for Sounds and many more.

Easton has also served as a site for Canine Companion service dog training, a Pelotonia pop-up store, Salvation Army bell-ringing, and job and volunteer fairs. While Change for Charity provides a unique opportunity for six select organizations, Easton is dedicated to working with the community and creating accessible opportunities to benefit the many incredible organizations Columbus has to offer all year round.

“It is our goal at Easton to support and recognize organizations that are making a significant impact in our community, and central Ohio as a whole,” said Jennifer Peterson, Chief Executive of Easton. “We are fortunate enough to be able to do so not only through providing financial support but also by helping to raise awareness through unique opportunities here at Easton to educate community members on what important work these organizations do. Whether it’s learning about volunteer experiences available through Besa, helping to build with Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio or being inspired by a youth performance or piece of art created at The King Arts Complex, we are truly honored to be able to connect our guests with these incredible organizations.”

Each partner receives a substantial donation through Easton’s parking meter proceeds along with in-kind marketing and publicity opportunities that reach more than 30 million visitors annually.

CONTACT: RYAN WILKINS
Ryan.Wilkins@rmhc-centralohio.org
614.227.3768

PRESS RELEASE
Brand new fundraiser, the Dean’s Charity Steer Show, raises over $152,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

COLUMBUS, OHIO – What happens when you take a dedicated group of community leaders, well-known celebrities, 4-H youth, and steers? You get one of the most successful new fundraisers in the history of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences vice president and dean, Cathann A. Kress had an idea. Over a delicious hot dog lunch with Leslie Bumgarner, President of Telhio Credit Union at Cap City Diner, they cooked up the beginning of what became the Dean’s Charity Steer Show. Months of planning and coordination, along with strong fundraising efforts, brought together a stellar team from many different areas of specialty.

Elizabeth Harsh, Executive Director of the Ohio Cattleman’s Association helped recruit some of the most talented Ohio 4-H members in the surrounding counties, all who had been working hard at raising prize steers. Each of the 4-H youth were paired with a well-known celebrity from the community, including Clark Kellogg, Clay Hall, Shelley Meyer, and Dean Kress herself. Each team was responsible to come up with a name, t-shirt design, and most importantly, raise funds to support their steer in the show.
The event itself, which took place at The Ohio State Fair, was a smashing success, filling the bleachers of the Voinovich Center. Attendees were able to visit with the steers, celebrities, and 4-H’ers, while deciding which steer they believed was the winner. The prizes awarded were Best Steer, Showmanship, and People’s Choice. After all was said and done, the event generated a whopping $152,000.
“We are so proud to have been able to partner with such a tremendous group of people for this very special event,” said Dee Anders, CEO and Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. “We are so impressed with how generous the community was for this event and look forward to another successful event in 2020.”

Plans are in the works for the second annual Dean’s Charity Steer Show to take place on August 4, 2020, once again at The Ohio State Fair. Details will be announced over the next several months, including this year’s celebrities and opportunities for sponsorship. Details will be made available at go.osu.edu/deanscharitysteershow.

We wish to thank the many generous sponsors and donors who made the event such a tremendous success. Those sponsors and donors contributing $1,000 and above include the following:

• The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
• Telhio Credit Union
• Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
• Ohio State Fair
• Heartland Bank
• Nick Epifano
• Scott McComb
• Kress Foundation at the Columbus Foundation
• Ohio Farm Bureau
• Farm Credit Mid-America
• Juan Neves
• United Producers
• City Barbeque
• Mastek Sparkman Family Foundation
• Michael, Julie and Connor Erwin
• Juan Navas
• Mike and Leslie Bumgarner
• Fayette Veterinary Hospital
• Robert Steele
• Bill Shaffer
• CFAES Meat Sciences Program
• Gibbs Farms LLC
• Bob and Pat Wise
• Ohio Pork Council
• Ohio Poultry Council
• Todd Alexander
• Leeds Farm
• Price Farms Organics
• Catherine Clark
• Dave Sanders
• Mark Berven
• Stephen Rasmussen
• Bonnie Sutherly
• David Benfield
• Mike Estadt
• Highland County Veterinary Hospital LLC
• Lynchburg Veterinary Clinic LLC
• Virgil & Lee Hamilton
• Kim Davis Insurance Agency
• Deborah Trager
• Peterson Farms
• Susa Sherer
• Greg Trimble
• Richard Theaker
• Tim and Karen Corcoran
• Putnam County Cattlemen’s Association
• Miami Valley Feed & Grain Co. Anonymous
• Wise Show Cattle Lynne Wise
• NRC Farm In Memory of Noah Cox
• AMW Cattleman’s Association
• Hastings Mutual Insurance

All sporting Cape Ivy Ponchos, Cindy Hargroves & Meg Smith deliver ponchos for our young guests with IV & PICC lines.

How did you do with those single-digit temperatures this morning? As cold as you felt – even after getting back indoors –  you can imagine it’s hard to keep warm while hooked up to an IV or PICC line with cool fluids. Some of our young guests even have to travel back and forth from the hospital with those attached.

Meg Smith of Virginia had a son, Gavin, who had trouble staying warm while battling a rare disease for 12 years. When he turned 6, Meg came up with the idea to make warm, fuzzy ponchos for kids who got cold easily because of these kind of line attachments. Wearing robes, sweaters, and jackets while inside is cumbersome and impractical with these lines attached to your body. Yet, these kind of ponchos are are easier for children with chronic illness who frequent hospitals often or for many months at a time.