By Jason Sutermaster, Volunteer

Jason (top left, 2nd) and the ACN team making dinner

I have been volunteering with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Central Ohio for a little over two years. I got my start when some friends and I were looking for an opportunity to do volunteer work. We felt our best opportunity would be if we could do something to help children. At the time, I was attending a gym called Go Fitness. The owner, Nick Osborne, had previously told me about how his staff will fix lunch for the families at RMHC of Central Ohio. We gave the House a call and talked to a super nice lady named Meika. We got our day scheduled, planned our meal, went shopping and arrived not really knowing what we were getting into. None of us had ever been to the House before. It was amazing! Everyone we came in contact with was incredibly sweet and helpful. So many families came up to say thank you and ask us what we were cooking. We had so many laughs and truly loved our time with the House. We enjoyed our volunteer experience so much, we scheduled a second date. At this time, I was able to speak to several of the volunteers about what other opportunities are available to support the House. Once again, I was put in contact with Meika and I attended a volunteer orientation meeting a short time later.

Around this same time, I became involved with a company called ACN Inc. ACN is one of the leading global sponsors of Ronald McDonald House Charities. Every quarter at our national conventions, we raise money to help support the local RMHC in the city we are staying. Additionally, the company’s world headquarters are in Charlotte, NC. Just a few short years ago, ACN recognized there was not a local Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte and donated all the funds necessary to help build the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte.

From that inspiration and the positive experience I had cooking lunch with my friends, we decided to become more involved with our local House. It was so amazing to learn the significance of RMHC of Central Ohio. Our local ACN team has a committed effort to cook a dinner for the families at least once a quarter. Our group loves it and often times we have more volunteers than we need to prepare the meal. That offers us an additional opportunity to help keep the kitchen as neat and tidy as possible. Many of our group members enjoy walking around the dining room and offering fresh brownies or helping sweep up crumbs. It never gets old to see new team members come to help out and watch the amazement in their eyes of the complexity of the House. It’s so much bigger and does much more than they had ever imagined.

On occasion, we have been referred to as “The Red Meat Group” from a few families that have stayed long enough to see us return. Our menu rarely changes as we always like to grill burgers and hot dogs, even if there is six inches of snow outside. That amazing aroma seems to just travel up the stairways and elevator shafts to spread the alluring smell of a summer picnic. It helps bring everyone together to enjoy a tasty meal and spread some smiles, while breaking up what can often be a stressful day for the families. We love seeing the staff and volunteers whom have come to recognize us and thank us every time we cook. It has been a very rewarding experience for us and we look forward to a continued partnership in the future.  To the House with a Heart, thank you for having us!

By Mackenzie Schuler

Food brings people together. It’s no secret eating a meal with loved ones is a time for us to unwind, relax, and catch up with the ones who know our hearts. Some of my best memories growing up were spent around the dinner table with my entire family. I feel as if life slows down when I spend time with the ones who know me best when we are eating some amazing food.

I think the same thing happens at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Central Ohio. Volunteers prepare meals every day to help give a taste of home to our families who are dealing with a child in the hospital. I see families every day, many who do not know each other, some who do not even speak the same language, and they have a common bond—a child in the hospital. They come together, day after day over a meal, and it is a simple thing that is so therapeutic for our families. If you have never baked or made a meal for our families, I highly recommend it!

Food has a way of creating community. I think that’s why I am so excited about the events we have happening for RMHC of Central Ohio. Brunch Around Columbus (Saturday, May 14^th and Sunday, May 15^th) benefits RMHC of Central Ohio and you can head to some of the best restaurants in Columbus:  Seventh Son Brewing and Challah Food Truck, Kraft House No. 5, The Angry Baker and Taste of Belgium. Yum! Grab your friends and family, and go get brunch that benefits RMHC!

Food Truck Fridays is another event that is bringing people together for greater good. Every Friday from now-August 26^th, 11 am-2 pm some of the best food trucks in Columbus will be at the Ronald McDonald House while they generously donate 10% of their proceeds back to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House every Friday! Below is the schedule. We have amazing trucks and amazing lines, so come hungry! These organizations understand the importance of serving families of seriously ill children, so we are incredibly grateful for their support.

Food can bring people together. These experiences listed can create a common bond for your team, friends, and family. Whether it’s through volunteering or attending one of the events listed above, people will always talk about food—it’s the way to our hearts!

By Mackenzie Schuler

Mackenzie (second from left) with her grandma Wanda, cousins Logan, her mom Janelle, aunt Teresa, cousin Kennedy, and her sister, Maddie

I love the holidays, but I have especially always loved Christmas. I love the lights, music, decorations, the food, and the traditions. My favorite thing about the holiday, however, involves the memories with my family.

One of my favorite memories involves my entire family when I was 1 or 2, my dad and my grandpa Dave (who were avid outdoorsmen), decided they were going to plant trees for wild life. In two days’ time, my dad and grandpa planted 3,000 trees on my grandparents’ land. These beautiful pine trees grew for a number of years. Around the time I was in elementary school, the trees were large enough for our family to cut down our own Christmas tree. On Thanksgiving afternoon, after all of the food had been eaten, my grandparents, parents, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousin went outside to the field, where all of the trees were planted. As my sister and I scrambled to find our Christmas tree, I noticed how proud my grandpa was. He loved making memories with our entire family. To be able to say we cut down our perfect Christmas tree that my dad and grandpa planted on my grandma and grandpa’s farm is a memory I will always cherish.

Providing memories for families of seriously-ill children to cherish during an extremely difficult time is something our volunteers and staff provide on a daily basis at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. I see it everywhere—from families who congregate together while they do laundry and ask how each other’s child is doing, to parents who switch shifts and go over their child’s care over dinner, so one parent can rest while the other spends time with their child in the hospital. You see mothers of premature babies console each other over coffee. You see meal groups making a homemade meal for our families to eat so they can gain strength and focus solely on their child’s health. You see a parent getting a hug from a volunteer after a difficult day over at the hospital. During the holidays, you see families shop in Santa’s Workshop so they do not have to worry about purchasing presents for their loved ones and they can focus on helping their child heal faster—that’s a memory to be cherished. Seeing families have a holiday meal with their loved ones and not having to worry about preparing it so they can spend every minute with their hospitalized child is a gift.

These small gestures that are shown day after day at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House make a lasting impact on a person’s heart. Although this is an unfathomable time in families of seriously-ill children’s lives, the relationships and memories made at our Ronald McDonald House will be cherished all through each and every person that walks through our doors. There is no price on providing families of seriously-ill children the gifts of hope, relaxation, relieving stress and togetherness—these are the gifts you will find each and every day at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House, and these are the best kinds of gifts. We are so blessed to have volunteers, donors, and community supporters who make every day a gift for our families.

By Darlene Brady, Volunteer

Darlene

THE HOUSE feeds my soul and for that, I am grateful. Before I began my stint as a volunteer, my life was perfect. So when it is said that square is square not squarer; round is round, not rounder, I have to say that it probably follows that the same might be said about perfect.

To me, The House has moved me into “perfecter” status. I am thrilled when I read the signs of gratitude posted in sporadic places. I am thrilled when I walk through the doors both in and out of THE HOUSE. I walk in happy to see everyone, full of energy. I walk out exhausted and happy knowing that I had a place to put my compassion and caring into action. The integrity of staff, volunteers, leaders, directors is a match to my own. That is not always easy to find in a charity organization.

The other day I saw a sign on a car bumper. It was a photo of a dog paw, and it said:  Who rescued whom? That’s how I feel about THE HOUSE. I thought I was doing something good for someone else when I came to THE HOUSE but now realize that it is THE HOUSE that is doing something good for me.

Win/win – you can never lose when you have a win/win. I LOVE THE HOUSE. Blessings to all who volunteer, work, care, scrub, wash, dry, fold and in general  answer the call.

Last year, Shannon Thomas’ cousin had premature twin boys, Cale and Cole, born in Marietta, Ohio. The twins were healthy in size for being born premature. However, they had multiple complications and were rushed to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Cale and Cole stayed in the NICU for close to two months.

Start line of the 2015 Columbus Marathon

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio became a huge blessing for Shannon’s cousin during an extremely difficult and stressful time. It allowed them to stay close to their babies, rest in a comfortable bed and enjoy delicious, homemade food.

Shannon was so moved when she heard about the option to run for Team RMHC, Ronald McDonald House’s charity running team, stating:

“The decision to join Team RMHC was a no brainer. I completed my first marathon in May for my own personal goals, but this one is for the twins!”

Team RMHC is filled with runners motivated by similar stories. They have each been touched by the love and care that flows from the Ronald McDonald House. Emily Smith and her family stayed at the House while her brother, Will recovered from a tragic car accident. Emily even completed training for her first marathon on a RMHC treadmill in the Columbus Crew SC exercise room! Parker Sinclair has volunteered at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House with the Red Shoe Society and joined Team RMHC with his wife, Elizabeth. Ken Grape’s grandson was born prematurely. The House saved his grandson’s parents a two-hour drive while he spent 7 weeks in the NICU. The stories of Team RMHC runners are what drives each runner, what motivates them to stomp out another mile, what encourages them to finish the fight! Thirty runners completed the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon or Half Marathon to celebrate and cherish the stories that connected them to RMHC of Central Ohio.

30 runners.

13.1 or 26.2 miles completed.

$19,512 raised.

195 nights of rest provided for RMHC families.

 Ready to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of RMHC families? Join Team RMHC for our spring season!