By Kaylee Utterback, Marketing & Communications Intern
Where do I even begin, my time here at RMHC has been an invaluable experience. The internship exceeded all expectations and truly touched me in ways that I never knew were possible. At this age, you go into a job thinking of how much it’ll help you and your resume, especially as a graduating senior. It only took me about a week to realize this place would be so much more than just that.
Taking 18 credit hours and working two jobs, I learned the feeling of stress and anxiety all too well this past year. The Ronald McDonald House soon became a place of comfort and ease in the midst of some of my most stressful days. Walking through these doors to a team of caring individuals and volunteers that have so graciously given their time to this mission cures a lot more than you can imagine. The impact this House has on families was made very clear on multiple occasions. On most days I sat in the lobby to get my work done and that soon became the place I experienced the most impactful moments. It was a random Wednesday and to my right, a family walked through the doors with a sigh of instant relief in their faces. I remember thinking about that moment the rest of the day. The next week I saw a family sitting together laughing in the lobby, I’ll never know the struggles that day brought prior to the laughter but I saw the House work it’s magic in giving them that moment together. Weekly, I saw dozens of volunteers walk in and out of these doors putting in time for a mission much greater than themselves. I saw this House create goodness and a love for humanity. Today as I sit here near the exit doors, I see a family with packed bags and smiling faces because they get to leave with a healthy child on their hip. Through all of these subtle moments, I saw the impact this House has made on the lives of so many. I felt the love within these walls each and every day I spent here and always left much better than I came.
The Ronald McDonald House will forever hold a place in my heart, the impact that was made through this experience will last forever. Through my trivial worries I walked into these doors with to the immense distress that families with sick children have felt, I am grateful that we have all found a place of peace within this House.
Thank you to all the families I have met, the team I have worked with and the House itself for giving me the opportunity to witness the magic that goes on inside these walls. Through my internship I learned a lot to help further my career but more importantly, I witnessed the power of love and giving.