Barb and Thad Matta holding the Coaches’ Charity Challenge winning check in 2014.

By Barbara Matta

The Coaches’ Charity Challenge is something that has been near and dear to our hearts for the past four years. With this wonderful contest, Thad, alongside The Ohio State University Basketball team, the entire OSU Athletic Department, and the central Ohio community has come together to support  one single cause:  Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

The outpouring of love and support RMHC of Central Ohio receives through this contest is incredible. The Coaches’ Charity Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for the community to see the heart of what truly matters to our family—helping keep families together while their children are being treated at central Ohio hospitals.

Thad and I have two daughters of our own, and we cannot fathom what we would do if one of the girls became extremely ill, or how we would try to maintain some sense of normalcy. Fortunately, this is where RMHC of Central Ohio steps in for families. The House provides an oasis in the midst of chaos. At the House, families have a chance to eat a home-cooked meal, do their laundry, play in the princess room, and watch movies in the in-home theatre—these are only some of the options. The House provides a sense of stability for families while their lives are turned completely upside down. The volunteers and staff care about each family that comes through the doors. This home captures and embodies the true spirit of love in every sense of the word.

For our family, the Coaches’ Charity Challenge is not just another contest, but a way to keep families together when they need it most. If we are able to win again, this contest will earn RMHC of Central Ohio $100,000, which translates to 5,000 nights of rest for families of seriously-ill children. For three years, RMHC has been fortunate to win with the support of the community, and we are in it to win it for 2016!

The Coaches’ Charity Challenge evokes a sense of competition that is felt both on and off the court. Thad knows he is fortunate enough to have the backing and support of so many community members voting every day for him on behalf of RMHC of Central Ohio.

The ball is in your court—we hope you will vote with us for the rest of the contest to help support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, who really needs our support, as they are now the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. You can vote every day at VoteCoachMatta.com. Your daily vote helps provide a respite for the families at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, so they can focus on what truly matters—helping their children heal.

Mackenzie with Summer, one of the many children who inspire her at RMHC of Central Ohio

By Mackenzie Schuler

I love the fall. I think one of the biggest reasons I love it is because I love watching the The Ohio State University Buckeyes (I’m sorry to my family in Iowa—I still love Iowa and my roots, just not when Ohio State plays them!) College football has a lot of amazing stories that take place both on and off the field. The stories I love are the ones where these football teams take these incredibly bright and resilient children who are battling childhood illnesses and adopt them as an honorary member of their team. AJ McCarron of Alabama befriended Starla Chapman. Nebraska Cornhuskers had Jack Hoffman score an amazing touchdown. The Ohio State University Buckeyes consider Jacob Jarvis a member of the team. These are just a few examples, but these stories pull at your heart strings and unite the community to support these amazing kids!

These inspirational sports stories remind me of some of the incredible stories I have had the honor and privilege to meet here at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. Every family I have met and every family that stays at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House has an incredible story to share. That’s why we are looking for past or current families who have stayed at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House to share your story.

Beginning October 13^th, we will begin a campaign on CD102.5 in partnership with McDonald’s and Ohio Center for Broadcasting called Stories of Change, where Columbus Ronald McDonald House stories are shared—family stories, volunteer stories, donor stories, etc. We would love to have you have a conversation between your family about your experience the Ronald McDonald House (we have questions to help you get the conversation going, no worries!) by recording an audio file. You can record the audio file on your phone—click here for directions. If you are coming to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House before October 1^st and would like to record your story, please contact Mackenzie Schuler. By recording your story, you are helping share the importance of the Columbus Ronald McDonald House—your story helps create hope and inspire others to share their stories of change because of the Columbus Ronald McDonald House.

By Mackenzie Schuler

For anyone living in the central Ohio area, you know this weekend is a major weekend for Columbus. If you are not familiar with what is happening, let me bring you up to speed:  The 2015 NHL All-Star Game is happening at Nationwide Arena! This is a huge opportunity for Columbus to show the world why we are an incredible city that is the best kept secret.

One of the best kept secrets of The 2015 NHL All-Star Game is the Legacy project. In each city that The NHL All-Star Game is held, the League works with a local charity to complete a meaningful project. For this year’s charity project, several central Ohio charitable organizations submitted a proposal for what they would like commissioned for their charity.

When we submitted our proposal, I honestly had no idea what to expect. It sounded amazing, but I could not even wrap my mind around what we were going to be doing. We were in the midst of our grand opening, which has now made us the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. I was not sure the NHL would even choose the Columbus Ronald McDonald House for this project. However, I was proven wrong, and the Columbus Ronald McDonald House was fortunate enough to have been chosen to have our project commissioned for The 2015 NHL All-Star Game.

Columbus is an incredibly generous city that has the support of so many organizations. The NHL saw the generosity of the Columbus Blue Jackets, an organization that has proven to be a vital partner to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House time and time again. The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation have supported us by adopting rooms within the Columbus Ronald McDonald House (have you seen the Jacket Zone in our basement or The Lady Jackets’ Princess Room?!), bringing their team to the House to play games with our families, throwing an amazing princess party for our little girls, and helping with landscaping and other projects. The Columbus Blue Jackets, the Columbus Blue Jacket Foundation, and The Lady Jackets are truly helping families with seriously-ill children at the House. Without their support, we could not make a difference in the lives of these families every day. We are grateful.

While I am sworn to secrecy to not tell you about the NHL All-Star Legacy Project, I can tell you this:  you are going to be blown away. Stay tuned for the unveiling on Friday, January 23^rd at 9:30 a.m.

By Bob Tidwell

House Host, Bob Tidwell

My name is Bob Tidwell. I am a volunteer at the Columbus Ronald McDonald on Tuesday night, and my role is the House Host. The volunteers on Tuesday night and the Family Service Managers are just great. I’m proud to be a part of that team.

The House Host position was created by RMH as it was expanding earlier last year when more rooms and more community spaces were added. This meant there was a greater need for helping patients and their families get checked in and settled at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. Previously, I was a Housewarmer. When this new position was posted, I jumped at the opportunity as I enjoy the personal interaction with families, including the patients. In the process, I moved my hours later and later, as it seemed many families were checking in later after a long drive from their homes. Now I work from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday evenings. I’ve checked in families from North Carolina, Western Pennsylvania, Boston and many other cities, states, and countries.

Some families arrive in Columbus in the morning and go immediately to Nationwide Children’s Hospital or any of the other area hospitals with their child. The family, minus their child (who has now been checked in to the hospital) then comes to RMH after an exhausting day at the hospital to get checked into the House. Their needs seem to be different than those families who come to RMH late with their child still in tow so I try to adapt.  However, these families all seem to have one thing in common—they look frightened and their look seems to say what is going to happen to my child? Either way there is visible relief when they understand there’s a place for them to eat and sleep. I tell them they are in the best place in the world—the hospital will take care of their child and RMH will take care of them with love and compassion.

When families check in, I like them to understand their basic needs will be taken care of:  where they will sleep and where they will eat. As we walk around, I try to understand their needs, particularly if they plan to be here a night or two or for an extended period of time. Laundry facility, a spa where they can get haircuts, gym, movies, game room, library, etc. For families who check in late and are worn out from the drive, I give them an “efficient tour” and encourage them to read the facility information in their room or explore the House when they have a free moment.

When I was a Housewarmer, I certainly had the ability to say hi to folks over the weeks and make this experience more personal for them. The position of House Host, however, makes it possible to remember names (not always) but at least remember them and why they are there. It seems a great idea to touch as many lives as possible and a great strategic decision by RMH to create this position.

I was so touched when one of our families, who I had checked in and seen many times since then, came up to me and asked if I had eaten. I told them I had not. They then offered me some of food they had prepared for themselves. I think it’s symbolic of the appreciation of the families to RMH.

I love it when families come in late and have a little girl in tow, invariably going into Children’s for special testing or a procedure. I ask if they would like to see The Princess Room. The joy and awe on these little faces (and the parents) is incredible when they see it and go in. Maybe the visit is for open heart surgery or some other complicated procedure and they won’t have a chance to see it again. It’s wonderful for me and hopefully for them as well.

I also volunteer at another area hospital’s emergency room every week, also where I have the opportunity to work with families of patients who are brought in for emergency treatment. The personal dynamics are virtually the same—fear of the unknown. Though at the hospital it’s more of a short term issue while at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, unfortunately, is generally longer term. The support of RMH is an incredible benefit to our families and we should all feel proud for contributing.

By Laura Hadley

As a Ronald McDonald House intern, I have been working to spread awareness for the “share your stripes” campaign. For the past week, I have been collecting pictures with people wearing red and white striped socks who are #forRMHC.

I began making calls to friends informing them that they could help raise money for the Ronald McDonald House by donating their extra change at local McDonald’s registers. I also asked if I could take photos of them in their socks to help spread awareness through social media. So here I was, with my 12 pairs of red and white striped socks setting off on a journey around Columbus to snap a couple pictures. Easy enough, right?

Wrong. I quickly learned it was going to be hard to get a hold of well-known people in Columbus, get them a pair of striped socks, and get their picture taken in a short time frame. I decided to shift my focus to college students. I was able to photograph students at both The Ohio State University and Denison University. Overall, I was happy with the pictures I was able to get.

While gathering photos, I learned a few things:

1. Gathering groups of college students is near impossible with everyone’s crazy schedules.
2. Trying to get a picture of a mini-pig in red and white striped socks is a lot harder than you would think.
3. Asking a simple favor from your friends may have more of an impact on them then you originally thought.

I found overwhelming support from my friends, which made my life a lot easier. Yet, while they all agreed to help me by putting on festive socks and letting me snap a picture, I never asked any of them to donate their money. I wasn’t even sure my out-of-state friends knew what the Ronald McDonald House was and what the organization offers to their guests. However, I kept collecting pictures and trying my best to explain what the pictures were for.

Sunday afternoon, a group of friends and I went to McDonald’s. Some of them had helped me with the photos and some hadn’t.  Not wanting to make a sales pitch, I did not remind them of the donation boxes. What happened next was truly an amazing feeling – as I watched my friends order and pay, I couldn’t help but notice them dropping their change into the RMHC donation boxes. Finally, it was my turn to order and make my donation. It was at this moment, I realized my work at the Ronald McDonald House had actually impacted people.

This project has taught me that a small favor, can lead to a small donation, which is making a big difference #forRMHC. How are you going to help?

By Ryan Wilkins

Growing up, my mom told me “you can do anything you put your mind to,” and I always believed her. If someone would have told me that we would win a national contest on ESPN three years in a row, I would have had a hard time believing that. I guess if a community puts their mind and heart to something, we can accomplish that goal.

The first year we were privileged enough to be selected by Coach Thad Matta of The Ohio State University, we were thrilled to even be selected. Our team worked tremendously hard, well beyond what anyone could expect, to generate support in Central Ohio for Coach Matta. I can distinctly remember standing in a drive through at the McDonald’s in Lancaster knocking on people’s windows and asking them to “vote Matta.” Some of them thought I was crazy. Others were afraid, but it was worth it. We thought Coach Matta could win, and we put our minds to it.

And you know what? He did win, generating a $100,000 donation to RMHC of Central Ohio. We were beyond excited. Then we got the phone call later that year that Coach Matta had again been selected as one of the top 48 coaches in the nation, would be in the Coaches’ Charity Challenge, and had selected RMHC of Central Ohio for the second year in a row. We knew it would take a huge community effort, but a repeat win for Coach was attainable. Once again, the community of Central Ohio stepped up and showed the nation that Columbus is the most generous community in the world. Another $100,000 donation to RMHC of Central Ohio on behalf of Coach Matta, making our running total $200,000.

So when we found out that Coach Matta was in the contest for a third year, and had selected our charity yet again, we all thought a three-peat was a long shot. However, that never stopped our community. We all redoubled our efforts, worked harder than ever before to help Coach Matta rise to the top, and once again, win the Coaches’ Charity Challenge. The three-peat was official, bringing our grand total from the contest to $300,000.

Needless to say, we love Coach Matta and the Buckeyes. How could you not? Coach is one of the most genuinely kind and thoughtful people we have ever met, and he cares deeply about not only success on the court, but off the court as well. We are proud to have him as our friend at the Ronald McDonald House.

Coach Matta, you are a true hero to our families. Thank you for your support. Columbus, you have really outdone yourselves. Way to go! We can’t thank you enough for your undying support of the families we serve.

By Barb Matta

Coach Matta, Barb (3rd from left), and their daughters presenting RMHC with the 2013 Coaches’ Charity Challenge check

The Coaches’ Charity Challenge is something that has been near and dear to our hearts for the past three years. With this wonderful contest, Thad, alongside The Ohio State University Basketball team, the entire OSU Athletic Department, and the central Ohio community has come together to support  one single cause: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

The outpouring of love and support RMHC of Central Ohio receives through this contest is incredible. The Coaches’ Charity Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for the community to see the heart of what truly matters to our family—helping keep families together while their children are being treated at central Ohio hospitals.

Thad and I have two daughters of our own, and we cannot fathom what we would do if one of the girls became extremely ill, or how we would try to maintain some sense of normalcy. Fortunately, this is where RMHC of Central Ohio steps in for families. The House provides an oasis in the midst of chaos. At the House, families have a chance to eat a home-cooked meal, do their laundry, and watch movies in the in-home theatre—these are only some of the options. The House provides a sense of stability for families while their lives are turned completely upside down. The volunteers and staff are care about each family that comes through the doors. This home captures and embodies the true spirit of love in every sense of the word.

For our family, the Coaches’ Charity Challenge is not just another contest, but a way to keep families together when they need it most. If we are able to win again, this contest will earn RMHC of Central Ohio $100,000, which translates to 5,000 nights of rest for families of seriously-ill children. For the past two years, RMHC has been fortunate to win with the support of the community, and we are in it to win it for a three-peat!

The Coaches’ Charity Challenge evokes a sense of competition that is felt both on and off the court. Thad knows he is fortunate enough to have the backing and support of so many community members voting every day for him on behalf of RMHC of Central Ohio.

The ball is in your court—we hope you will vote with us for the rest of the contest to help support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, who really needs our support as they are adding an exciting 42 room expansion, which will make the Columbus location the largest House in the world. You can vote every day at VoteCoachMatta.com. Your daily vote helps provide a respite for the families at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, so they can focus on what truly matters—helping their children heal.