For Immediate Release For more information contact: February 3, 2012 Brittany Fitzpatrick Communications Coordinator Direct: (901) 312 – 7482 [email protected]

The Memphis Community Rallies to Support the 21st Annual Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon

MEMPHIS (TN) – With just one week to go until the 21st Annual Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon, members of the Memphis community are lending their voices to support Ronald McDonald House® of Memphis families.

Coach Lionel Hollins, Coach Josh Pastner, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle and Memphis native Michael Oher, and Shanola Hampton from the popular Showtime series Shameless are just a few people who will be calling in to the Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon on Thursday, February 9 and Friday, February 10.

The Radiothon will be broadcast on ROCK 103 (102.7FM) from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days directly from the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis (535 Alabama Ave.).

As the Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon enters its 21st year, more than $7 million have been raised for the “House that love built.” This year’s Radiothon will honor one of its founders – John “Bad Dog” McCormack, who passed away in 2011 exactly one month after hosting his last Radiothon.

“Aside from his faith and his family, Ronald McDonald House was the number one thing in his heart. He said to me one night in the hospital that of all the things he’d done in his life, he hoped his legacy would be what he’d done for the kids at Ronald McDonald House. [He knew] what it meant to them to have a place away from home,” said Tim McCormack, Bad Dog’s brother, at Bad Dog Tribute Night on January 31.

To continue the Radiothon tradition, Ronald McDonald House of Memphis will offer special incentive items as a thank you to pledging donors, including the coveted Radiothon Jacket, t-shirt and hat. Fifty lucky donors who give $300 or more will receive those items and a limited edition Bad Dog Avenue Street Sign, a commemorative replica of the original street sign that hangs on Alabama Avenue.

Radiothon supporters are also invited to bid on hundreds of fantastic items during the ‘Rock the House’ Online Radiothon Auction (begins tonight, Feb 2, at midnight and ends at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb.10). Items can be viewed now at http://bit.ly/RocktheHouseAuction.

Anyone can make an online donation to the Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon today by visiting www.rmhc-memphis.org. To make a donation during the Radiothon, please call 1-800-230-KIDS (5437). The 21st Annual Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon is sponsored by the Memphis Fire Fighter’s Association (presenting sponsor); Banes Capital Management; Caesar’s Entertainment; The Daily News; Dr. Pepper; Memphis Motorcycle Club; Monogram Food Solutions; Papa John’s and ServiceMaster.

To keep up with the latest news on the Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon, we invite you to “Like” Ronald McDonald House of Memphis on Facebook and to follow Ronald McDonald House of Memphis on Twitter @RMHMemphis and to use the official hashtag for the Ronald McDonald House® Radiothon: #RMHKids.

For more information please contact Jessica Corley at [email protected] or call 901-312-7457.

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ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE® Ronald McDonald House® is a “home-away-from-home” for families who are in Memphis while their child is receiving treatment for cancer or another catastrophic illness at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. All families stay completely free of charge. Since opening its doors in 1991, Ronald McDonald House® of Memphis has housed over 6,000 children from nearly every state and 45 countries.