What’s it like to volunteer at “The House”?
Kathleen and her daughter Delaney spent an afternoon at Saturday Serve with Ronald McDonald House. Here’s how it went:
“When we arrived, we all got a tour – kids and parents alike – of the main part of the house. What a great space for families with children undergoing medical treatment! It’s welcoming and designed with them in mind. Next, the kids went to the basement to work on a craft. They created a small bouquet of flowers for each room, with a handwritten note of encouragement for the families. I can imagine coming ‘home’ to something cheerful like that would be a welcome sight for the RMH families after a long, difficult day.
My hope is that by participating in Saturday Serve, along with other volunteering we do as a family, my kids will become more aware of the needs that exist in their community. For Delaney, this visit helped her see that families deal with sad and difficult things, and that it can be really tough for them. It never occurred to her that someone might stay in the hospital for weeks, and so she never had a chance to consider how a family would handle that – particularly if they live far away from the hospital.
While we were there, she also learned that she can collect pop can tabs for RMH to donate, and the funds are used to buy things for the House. So she’s soliciting friends and family to save tabs when they can so she can donate them. It was a good experience for her – thanks Ronald McDonald House!”
We’d love to hear about YOUR volunteer story! Tell us about it here.