Friend of Ronald: a member of... “a voluntary organization committed to providing service activities and fund raising, thereby assisting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis in promoting public awareness and improving the quality of life for children and their families.” -“Friends of Ronald” Mission Statement

Who: Friends Who Care

What: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis, Inc. “Friends of Ronald” Organization

When: The concept arose at a Ronald McDonald House staff retreat a few years ago while brainstorming about how to raise public awareness of the Ronald McDonald House and to broaden our database of friends and supporters, by helping to promote the RMH in ways other than through our usual annual fund raising events.

Where: Throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area

Why: To further the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities

How: In early 2002, we approached some of our friends, volunteers and staff members and held a few brainstorming sessions to solicit ideas for ways to begin this project. From these sessions, we developed five sub committees to start with: Bylaws, Cookbook, Holiday Store, Membership and Showers. Subsequently, bylaws were created, other sub committee chairs volunteered and started holding meetings and things got rolling. In November of 2002, we held our first membership luncheon and elected officers for 2003.

There are 4 different levels of membership in this organization, with the basic differences being the dollar amount contributed and the fact that all memberships other than Life need to be renewed annually: Life Member ($500), Sustaining Member ($100), Contributing Member ($50), and Regular Member ($25). Members are encouraged, but not required, to join any sub committees that currently exist (listed below) or may form later. There will be an annual membership luncheon, which all members are encouraged to attend. We are always open to new ideas and welcome your input. Additionally, all “Friends” will receive a regular special newsletter to keep them informed of any activities.

* Cookbook: This committee is in the process of creating a 2nd cookbook for the RMH (as a fund raiser). Members will be reviewing recipes submitted, holding taste-testing parties and then actually compiling, typing and editing recipes for printing.

* Holiday Store: This committee had a terrific start for the 2002 Holiday Season. Mrs. Claus’ Closet was created and kept stocked, donations solicited, and families were allowed the fun of “shopping” for their Holiday gifts at no charge to them. Other Holidays will be taken into consideration as well.

* Membership: This committee is charged with the annual membership luncheon and the solicitation of new members.

*Showers: This committee is organizing “showers” to help furnish the new apartments opening in the spring. The committee has “registered” the RMH at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Domestications, Target and Wal-Mart and will keep an updated “wish list”. At Domestications, contact Sam at 1-800-969-4495 and reference Ronald McDonald House St. Louis. At Target, we are registered under Bride first name, Ronald, and last name, House. At Wal-Mart, we are registered under Ronald McDonald, and at Bed, Bath & Beyond, ask for Ronald McDonald House registry 906792.

Shower hostess "kits" are available at the House.

The cookbook committee will hold a "taste-testing" meeting on February 25.

For more information on "Friends of Ronald," please call (314) 531-6601.

On Friday April 5th, an incredibly beautiful spring day, a group of very special RMH friends, Board members and staff gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the new 8-unit apartment complex adjacent to the West Pine RMH. It was a small, intimate ceremony for a huge project that began 4 years ago, and through the hard work and tenacity of many friends, will soon make life easier and more comfortable for families who call the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House their “home-away-from-home” for many months while awaiting transplants for their children.

One such family, from Fort Riley, KS, helped in the celebration. John and Racheal Wichgers, their son Dylan Moon and daughter Hanna Moon have been at the West Pine RMH since early February awaiting a lung transplant for 15-month old Gabriella Wichgers.

Also participating in the ceremony were Jim Finger, RMHC Board President, John Riffle, RMHC Board Vice President and Building Committee Chairman, Dale Cammon, President of Children’s Hospital Foundation, Doug Ries, President of Cardinal Glennon Hospital, Todd Sklamberg, RMHC Board member and Vice President of Children’s Hospital, John Guenther, architect for Mackey Mitchell Associates, Dan Green of ISC Contracting and Lisa Stiefvater, RMHC Associate Director. (Ted Frey, President of Children’s Hospital, Barb Quinn, former RMHC Board member and Dave Giarla, former RMHC Board member and current President of the St. Louis Co-op of McDonald’s Owner/Operators were unable to attend, but will receive engraved shovels for the important roles they played in this undertaking.)

Many other Board members were in attendance, including Dawn Callier, former RMHC Board President, who put in a tremendous amount of work on this project. We are extremely grateful to Dawn, all those previously mentioned, and all others who have been so supportive and worked so hard to make this dream a reality – once again expanding “the House that Love built."

Completion is expected by the end of this year or early 2003. Watch this page for pictures that show weekly updates of the construction process.