Love Notes Fall 2012 | Volume 28
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Love Notes Fall 2012 | volume 28 Latest News & Events A Publication of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Tampa Bay, Inc. Inspiring family stories Love Notes • Fall 2012 1 2012 RMHC BOARD OF TRUSTEES OFFICERS Edward Ameen, Chairman Ana Wallrapp, President John Iwanicki, Vice-President Claudia Straw, Treasurer Diane Keane, Secretary Dan Honegger, Immediate Past President MEMBERS Pam Barber Message from the William Cassidy Kristy Chase-Tozer Executive Director Tina Dyakon Steve Eaves Brian Ford This year marks another milestone anniversary in our Chris Frost Ronald McDonald House program, the 20th anniversary of Steve Griggs the Tampa House. Since opening the doors in 1982, this Jeff Harring House has cared for 6,000 families whose children received Stacy Howell treatment at Tampa General, St. Joseph’s Children’s and Harry Hutt Shriners hospitals. 300 families stay at Tampa’s House George Meyer annually, greeted each day by one of the 100 volunteers Dan Paone Bonnie Patchen who give of their time to make this program possible. Tom Powers Richard Reeves We can never say enough about our volunteers. Last year, 341 volunteers greeted Bob Sanders families at our four Houses, facilitated registrations, helped with laundry and cleaning Don Schreyer chores, administrative duties, toy sorting, shopping, decorating, etc. With only a small Julie S. Stapf core staff of 21 for all four Houses & administration, we would not be able to operate Tom Waters 80 bedrooms at our Ronald McDonald Houses and care for the needs of our families Susan Wendt without them. Many special event volunteers help us raise the much-needed dollars Jill Wolf to operate, as well as hundreds of community groups and individuals who ensure our JANICE L. DAVIS Executive Director & CEO families have hot, nutritious meals and all the necessities required to make their stay DONNA YOUNG as comfortable as possible. A large dog therapy program, arts and crafts and teen House Director & COO volunteers all contribute to the success of our House program. We strive to work hard to make this House a HOME for our families. STAFF Administration And like all homes, we must do all that we can to ensure financial stability to Joo Hooi Albritton, Donor Relations Mgr. support our programs, which not only include the Houses, but our scholarship program Alison Barrick, Mktg/Comm. Manager and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. As we near the end of 2012, we salute all those Grace Inman, Events Coordinator who have helped us throughout the years. We invite you to join us at our Tampa House Lauren Sawyer, P/T Events Assistant St. Pete East birthday bash so that we can personally thank each of you for your support. Lynn Lippincott, Family Coordinator Sue Corder, Information Specialist Fondly, Joan Gould, Operations Assistant Michele Langfitt, Operations Assistant Cindy Lewis, PT Operations Assistant Kathy Papadopoulos, Operations Assistant Rebecca Saglibene, Evening Manager JANICE L. DAVIS St. Pete West Executive Director & CEO Ann Seidenstricker, House Manager Lise Fields, Volunteer Coordinator Carla Sibilia, Operations Assistant St. Pete Central In this issue Melanie Trubey, House Manager Tampa Birthday Charity Golf Classic Kensie Yarbrough, Evening Manager Jil Milley, Operations Assistant Finding Hope: Cameron’s Story Storybook Ball Recap Tampa House Upcoming Events Music Inspires Teen Betsy Wilkinson, House Manager Maggie Somerville, Program Assistant Around the Houses Donor Listings Yadira Lizardi, Operations Assistant Love Notes is published twice per year for families EDITOR’S NOTE: and friends of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of We are saddened by the news that Callie Anderson, who Tampa Bay. Comments may be directed to: Ronald was featured in our last newsletter, lost her battle with McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, 28 Columbia cancer in early July. Callie’s spirit and joy of life touched Drive, Tampa, FL 33606, (813) 258-6430 many hearts throughout the RMH family. Our hearts go out www.rmhctampabay.com not only to the Andersons but to the other RMH families Template design by Pamela Raper who have lost children this year. Writing & production Alison Barrick We’re having a party! Come celebrate with us The Tampa House is celebrating 20 years of providing a home-away-from-home for thousands of families. There have been many memorable moments for the staff and volunteers of this House. The families who stayed each felt the warmth and comfort of having a safe and peaceful refuge while their child was treated in Tampa General, St. Joseph’s Children’s and Shriners hospitals. Many of those preemie babies born in the early days are almost adults. Other children now have families of their own and tell the story of how RMH was able to help their family. Some now volunteer, have fundraisers, or give back to RMH in their own way. We are privileged to be called home for so many families. We hope you will join us for our anniversary celebration featuring Ronald McDonald, games and Happy Meals for the kids, a cupcake contest, photo booth and much more. If you have some time to drop in, we would love to see you! Saturday, November 3rd 11am - 2pm Ronald McDonald House 35 Columbia Drive Tampa, FL 33606 Love Notes • Fall 2012 3 What many people may not know is that for over three decades, RMH has given tremendous support to families of sick children throughout the world. RMH reaches out to people when they are most vulnerable. For me, being able to be a small part of the RMH effort is a privilege. Charles Marco Fortunato’s Italian Market St. Petersburg, FL Charles Marco of Fortunato’s Italian Market on Central Avenue in St. Pete faithfully delivers pizzas to RMH Central every Tuesday night. We know the families love those fabulous pizzas! Floyd & Kathleen Smoak LOVE to make children smile. They bring many handmade toys to our St. Pete families and even have extras with them on the road in case they come across a child in need of a smile! This group came for Deloitte Impact Day, as part of an international one day campaign to make a difference in their community. Spearheaded by Board of Trustees member Dan Paone, they did I would like to thank the all the family chores and made lunch at the Houses. We know the Ronald McDonald East families loved having Deloitte there for the day! house for everything they did for our family while we were there. Sadly my daughter has to go back to All Children’s next month but we know that we will receive a warm welcome when we go to the house and feel right at home (again)! The volunteers are truly special people who rock! Around the Houses - Melissa 4 Love Notes • FallSpring 2012 2012 IN THEIR OWN WORDS These are excerpts from family posts on our Facebook page or comments sent to us. Please join us Yesterday was the 5 year mark of losing my on Facebook and share your sweet Helen. I just wanted to thank you all experience by posting on again for this wonderful place that allowed me our wall at www.facebook. to be with my sweet child for 4 and half months. com/rmhctampabay or send an email to abarrick@ You not only gave us a roof over our heads but rmhctampabay.com. you blessed us so much during our stay there. Praying for all the families there right now and all the ones that have passed through. God sure has a lot of blessings ahead for all you wonderful people there at the Ronald McDonald house in Tampa Bay. Thanks again as you will never know how much of a blessing you all are. - Jessica Anne Casey Strakal & John “Gunner” at the 3rd Annual Casey’s Pub (St. Pete) Irish Open Golf Tournament to benefit RMH. This tiny pub has already raised $8,500 with their events. Way to go guys! MetLife presents RMH with a check for $24,000 from their 2012 Golf Tournament. To date, MetLife has donated $137,000 & provided many volunteers for our events. We love our MetLife folks and are thankful for their friendship. Top L-R: John Hrenko, Janice Davis (RMH), John Iwanicki. Bottom L-R: Kathy Marx, Mike Powers, Greg Caraynoff, Andrea Nole. Jacob Mruk collected donations instead of gifts for his 7th birthday. Kids helping kids, gotta love it! Ronald McDonald Houses across the state sent representatives for a jointthis conference summer. on house operations Love Notes • Fall 2012 5 63 Love Notes • Fall 20122011 Families First Finding Hope Teen Fights Back From Unknown Illness In the back of every parent’s mind is the fear that Cameron’s major organs began to fail. something might happen to their child. We teach them to JP and Jennifer did not know where to turn. They had avoid dangerous situations, provide vitamins, helmets, postponed telling Cameron’s siblings of the crisis until education and try to predict all their needs. But we can they could give them some good news. Now it was time be helpless with invisible enemies like viruses, just like to grieve and pray together. By the fourth day, Cameron’s the virus that nearly killed 11-year old Cameron Hester organs had improved marginally, giving the family hope (now 13). that their prayers had been answered. In April 2011, Cameron and his twin brother Tyler His older sister Lauren, twin brother Tyler, and were taking antibiotics because they had multiple mosquito bites. Tyler began having night fevers, and then two weeks later, Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain caused by a virus. Cameron had the same symptoms. On April 29th, Cameron had a seizure while at his Symptoms include fever or severe headache, confusion, seizures, drowsiness dad’s house.