Ronald McDonald House offers families home away from home

Amanda Yates stayed at the Ronald McDonald Family Room in Rogers in June 2016 when her daughter, Mollie, required 23 days of neonatal intensive care at Mercy Hospital.
Amanda Yates stayed at the Ronald McDonald Family Room in Rogers in June 2016 when her daughter, Mollie, required 23 days of neonatal intensive care at Mercy Hospital.

When Mollie Yates was born on June 18, 2016, parents Amanda and Rob anticipated spending no more than a few days at Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers. Instead, baby Mollie was diagnosed with Down syndrome and spent 23 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Thanks to the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Mercy Hospital, Amanda was able to stay near Mollie and accommodate her every-three-hours feeding schedule.

The Yates family will be celebrated at the upcoming Red Shoe Soiree, a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma. Courtney Tucker, marketing and public relations coordinator for the organization, says that fundraising is an important part of making sure valuable services reach as many families as possible.

The Red Shoe Soiree

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: The Record, 104 SW A St., Bentonville

Cost: $75-$1,000

Information: (479) 756-5600

"We provide everything you possibly could need, so that you don't have to leave your child's side -- because that's what's best for the child and for the parent," says Tucker. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma operates the Family Rooms at Mercy Hospital in Rogers and Fort Smith, the new Ronald McDonald House at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile -- a 40-foot-long, 14-foot-wide mobile oral health care unit.

Tucker says that the Ronald McDonald House and Family Rooms provide necessary room and board for families who find themselves in the stressful situation of dealing with a sick or injured child.

"We provide lodging for families who have children under the age of 18 who need medical care," says Tucker. "If all of our rooms are full, we provide a place to shower, dinner, snacks and toiletries."

According to the organization's website, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma served 1,900 unique families in 2016 across Arkansas and Oklahoma, with 1,779 overnight stays and 41,411 day visits.

Comments from parents from a recent survey distributed by the organization give insight into the important service it offers.

"I was blessed to stay five nights at the Ronald McDonald House in Fayetteville while my daughter was treated in the NICU," said one parent. "We live an hour away from Washington Regional and had been staying in a hotel and driving back and forth daily to the hospital."

"Our 15 day stay was just what we needed during a crazy time," said another. "The facility was beautiful. The staff members were kind and never intrusive ... they respected our privacy. It was so nice to have all of the amenities available, from the food, laundry, comfy beds, to the playroom for our older child."

Tucker says all services are free of charge.

"There are some chapters that ask for a small donation for a stay," she says. "We never ask families for anything. Some families will end up donating after the fact, but we never ask for anything in return for the services we provide."

The mobile oral health care unit operates a little differently: It travels to those who need it, visiting various schools in the Northwest Arkansas area to provide a panoply of oral health care services.

"It travels to schools, for kids who have a non-dental care home, where they can't get those services," says Tucker. "The unit is full service -- anything they might need. If they need longer term care, the unit will provide that, until it's all taken care of."

Tucker says even extensive dental work -- like alloy restorations, pediatric crowns, extractions and root canals -- are all provided.

Though the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma is affiliated with the RMHC national program, it is responsible for all of its own fundraising, and all of the money raised stays local. That makes events like the Red Shoe Soiree on Friday especially important. The event's presenting sponsors are Tyson Foods, Coca Cola and McDonald's.

"We're so excited -- it's at a new venue this year," Tucker says. "This is our first time having it at The Record [in Bentonville]. We're going to have both sides of the space, so it's going to be big." The Record space is 7,500 square feet. Tucker says one side will be designated for sponsor seating, the other for a D.J. and heavy hors d'oeuvres. Marissa Kargas, evening news anchor at KNWA, will serve as the emcee.

"We anticipate dancing, and there will be an after-party," says Tucker. "We generally have a good little crowd stick around and dance."

Guests are encouraged to wear red shoes to the event, in honor of the organization's namesake, Ronald McDonald.

A Costa Rican vacation package will be available at a live auction, and Tucker says the silent auction items are "crazy good."

"We have one of the nicest silent auctions we've ever had," she says. "There are around 15 packages."

The packages include a spa party for four donated by Premier Dermatology. The winner of that package, along with three guests, will receive a 50-minute relaxation facial and a 60-minute Swedish massage, with treats and beverages included. Another package is a "staycation" package, says Tucker. Bloodworth Hospitality is donating a two-night stay at one of their Air B-and-B homes, and the auction winner will also receive four all-day bike rentals from Phat Tire, a luggage set and a gift card to The Hive.

"New this year is the Red Shoe Raffle," says Tucker. "Blakeman's Fine Jewelry has custom designed a beautiful ruby necklace with a retail value of $7,000. We'll be selling glasses of rose wine that will come with a raffle ticket. If you win, you get a finished, custom designed piece."

The Taylor McKeen Shelton Foundation will present the Taylor Award at the event to volunteer Ashely Joyner, chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities NWA Family Room Advisory Council.

"The award is going to [Joyner] for her selflessness, empathy and positive impact on children's lives in Northwest Arkansas," says Tucker "She's a really awesome lady."

Tucker recommends that those interesting in attending the event purchase their tickets by Wednesday.

Lara Jo Hightower can be reached at [email protected].

NAN Profiles on 04/16/2017

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