It's just a personal opinion but I believe that everyone should have a charity that means something to them. Americans are the most generous people on Earth...but its important that you find YOUR cause.
I volunteer at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House. Recently I have made the commitment to help raise money and awareness for them. To start I have agreed to run my first 5k on April 11th of this year, and in training for that I have learned two important things about myself. One...I'm sore. Two...I'm not as young as I used to be!
As a second commitment I have agreed to raise funds as a "Team RMH" VIP in conjunction with the 19th Annual Calls for Kids Telecast in support of all the families of critically ill children who need a home away from home while their children are being treated in Nashville area hospitals. More then 500 families made the Nashville Ronald McDonald House their "home away from home" in 2008, and hundreds more will make it their home in 2009.
A few months ago while volunteering on a Tuesday morning, I met Grayson. He had been given tickets to a Nashville Predators game the night before and was proudly wearing his new Preds hat. When he took his hat off briefly, the fact that he had no hair told me a little about why he and his family were there. His mom, Jamie, filled me in on the rest.
Grayson and his mom are from Maryville, Tennessee and have been staying at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House for over 200 nights. Grayson, who is 9 years old, has been a friend to the Nashville Ronald McDonald House since he was 2 weeks old. When he was a baby, he had a heart transplant and his family stayed in our House for many nights while he recovered. Then, in July 2008, he was diagnosed with Burkitts Leukemia, so he is back at our House. After 4 months of treatment at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, his doctors discovered that the treatment wasn't working well enough and decided on a new plan. He has been through several rounds of chemotherapy and is now waiting for a bone marrow transplant from his mom. Thanks to the support of the community and funds raised by people like us, Grayson and Jamie have a home away from home at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House.
There are so many others like Grayson. Children who endure more then any child should ever have to. And they do it with a spirit that only child can. I've found my time at RMH to be both heart warming and heart breaking but I've also found that it is a place that brings out the best in people.
Did you know:
- RMHC programs include a 32-bedroom House AND a day-use Family Room on the 5th Floor of Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
- Families who stay in our House are here for an average of 19 nights
- We are faced with turning away 4-6 families every night because our House is 100% occupied
- We ask families to pay $15 per night to stay in our House, but more than 67% cannot afford to pay anything
- We provide all the comforts of home, like laundry facilities, kitchens stocked with food and supplies, a dining room, playrooms, and bedrooms with private bathrooms
- In 2008 we served more than 500 families in our House and have served more than 10,100 since it opened in 1991
- Our Family Room at Children's Hospital has served more than 106,000 individuals since it opened in 2004
- We serve families who have children being treated for critical illnesses at any hospital in the Nashville area
If you cant give money, give time. I promise I can tell you from personal experience that it is so worth it! And if nothing else, I highly recommend finding out what YOUR cause is and giving your time. It can change lives...yours included.
For those of you that would like to give to the Nashville Ronald McDonald House, any amount that you can donate will be greatly appreciated and all contributions are 100% tax deductible. You can click here or visit www.rmhnashville.com/cart to donate. Please type "Chad McDowell VIP" into the comment field so RMH will know that this donation is being made as part of my Team RMH VIP pledge.
The families we serve continue to face being far from home when their children are critically ill and most do not have means to stay anywhere but the Nashville Ronald McDonald House because we will not turn them away if they are unable to pay. In 2008, the Calls for Kids Telecast raised more than $140,000 for the programs of the Nashville Ronald McDonald House. Your support in 2009 will help ensure another successful Telecast.
Thank you in advance on behalf of myself, the Nashville Ronald McDonald House, and the families that will be helped by your generosity.
And please, forward this to anyone you can think of!
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