Up to 52 co-ed teams will take to the sand as the Red Shoe Society hosts its annual sand volleyball tournament. This is a friendly & fun competition allowing players of all skill sets to get involved with RMHC. Players are also given the opportunity to participate in the Fundraising Challenge and the chance to win rewards along the way. Skills Competitions in the middle of the day give all players a chance to show off what they’ve got. For more information on this event, please contact Lindsey.Beggin@RMHC-CentralOhio.org or call 614-227-3727.
By Megan Koester
Summer is a time when people are looking for fun things to do outside the House. As a mom of two kids, we are always looking for a new activity as a family. While my little guys are still a bit too young to take on the town, I have found myself in the midst of a lot of mommy conversations centered around options for the summer. People plan for camps, trips to the zoo and days at the pool but still look for more things to do to make memories during their time together. Recently, I have had several moms ask about opportunities to get involved at The Ronald McDonald House over the summer. The House provides a great opportunity to do activities as a family for the right reasons. Here are ten ways you can get involved at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House and add a little bit of service to the season.
By Megan Koester
I am constantly amazed by the love and support that comes from our community to Ronald McDonald House Charities. This week, we received an estate gift that will provide 120 nights of rest for families needing a home-away-from-home while their child is in the hospital. This gift was planned by the family years ago when they thought about leaving a lasting impact in the community – they thought of supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities. Estate planning is a wonderful way to leave a legacy through your will, trust, life insurance policy or other planned gifts.
We have established the Pillars of the House Society to recognize all of the thoughtful donors that designate Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio in their estate plans. These individuals are truly creating the pillars of our future and they leave a gift that will assure that a home-away-from-home continues to be ready for those families in years to come.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio welcomes many kinds of planned gifts, including:
* Naming Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio as a beneficiary in a life insurance policy or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
*Gifts of new or existing life insurance policies
*Gifts of appreciated stock
*Making provisions in a will or living trust to leave all or a percentage of your estate to the Charity.
*Creation of a Charitable Remainder Trust, Lead Trust or Gift Annuity
We are here to help simplify this process with information and resources. Those that join the Pillars of the House Society are recognized as long term donors and will receive a commemorative gift, invitations to special events and ongoing information from the House.
Becoming a member of the Pillars of the House Society allows you to make a charitable decision today that will truly benefit Ronald McDonald House families in years to come. What a wonderful way to continue your support for the Charity. Our families will truly appreciate the warm bed, delicious meals and amenities we are able to provide our families thanks to this special gift.
By Sean Murray, Membership Committee Chair of the Red Shoe Society, Group of Young Professionals
Years ago, when I was a youngster, McDonald’s ran a commercial featuring Ronald McDonald and other characters with a catchy song I still remember to this day. The song begins with Ronald singing When you believe in magic, and I hope you do, you’ll always have a friend wearing big red shoes. I actually forgot about that song until 2011 when I visited the Columbus Ronald McDonald House for the very first time to volunteer with my team at work.
I was new to the Columbus area and looking for ways to volunteer and new friends to make. My group toured the House and did our volunteer work. I was touched by how much the staff and volunteers do for the families of seriously ill children. At the very end of my trip to the House, I was informed of a group of young professionals whose sole purpose was coming together to assist at the Ronald McDonald House. I asked for information and sent an email, which ended up being one of the best decisions I have made in my life!
Shortly thereafter, I was introduced to the most talented, dedicated and fun-loving group of people I have ever met, the Red Shoe Society. Everyone was welcoming and wanted to get to know me. I volunteered for one of the bigger fundraisers, Dig it For the House, and had an absolute blast. If there’s such a thing as “fun in the sun” in Columbus, Ohio, this event is definitely it! I met the tournament organizer, Bill, and through his energetic and positive leadership, the event had its most successful turnout (and topped that this year). I met Tony, the president of the Red Shoe Society at the time, whose team made it a goal to raise the most funds for the event so they could enjoy the day in the “VIP” lounge. I met Jamie, whose tireless work and seemingly endless hours coordinating with the group during meetings and events really helps keep everything running smoothly.
Since then, I have helped plan membership events, volunteered with the Red Shoe Society to make breakfast for families at the Ronald McDonald House, as well as other fundraising events for the House. I have gotten together to hang out with group members as friends. I can think of no better way to spend my free time than with this group and helping the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. Everyone has so much fun and projects are undertaken with a love and passion for giving back that is difficult to describe.
These people, and the many others I have met over the past few years at Red Shoe Society events, are people I am honored to call my friends. Through hard work, determination, hours of planning, members of the Red Shoe Society truly do make magic happen for Ronald McDonald House and I am proud to call myself a member. If I wasn’t a believer in magic before I became involved with the Red Shoe Society, I am a believer now!