Benefits With Friends: Red shoes raise money for respite

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma supporters are encouraged to don their favorite red footwear for the nonprofit organization's seventh annual Red Shoe Soiree on July 9 at Osage House in Cave Springs.

Organizers say backers are invited to "join us in celebrating our successes of the past years and in raising critical funds for our programs in Northwest Arkansas: the Ronald McDonald House at Washington Regional, the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Mercy NWA and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile." Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms in hospitals provide a place of respite so families with critically ill children may stay close to them while they are hospitalized.

The fundraiser will be the group's first hybrid in-person and virtual event, which will include a live virtual show and the ability to host 200 people.

"We hope you'll follow us along for this exciting new event format and help us meet or exceed our fundraising goals because even though our world has changed, the needs of families with children in the hospital have not," organizers say.

The in-person component will feature heavy hors d'oeuvres with a carving station, specialty cocktails, live music and the presentation of the Taylor Award from the Taylor McKeen Shelton Foundation. Ella and Wes Shelton established the Taylor McKeen Shelton Foundation in memory of their son, who passed away at 14 months old due to Sudden Unexplained Death of a Child (SUDC) in June 2013. The foundation helps support SUDC research.

The Taylor Award is "given to a company or individual who supports the efforts of Ronald McDonald House Charities and our mission to find, create and support programs to improve the health and well-being of children."

-- CARIN SCHOPPMEYER

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