One site that I have the honor of serving at is Ronald McDonald House Charities® Eastern Wisconsin (RMHC®). I became involved with this organization in the fall of my freshman year at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School (DSHA). Wanting a long-term service site, my mother and I stumbled upon RMHC and knew it would be a great fit, since…
We made a little history when we took Food & Families online for our first ever virtual auction! Thank you to everyone who placed bids, donated, or purchased Blessings Bracelets. The Blessings Bracelets have been a highly coveted accessory since the Food & Families Luncheon began four years ago. Here’s why: The bracelets normally retail for $100 apiece, but RMHC…
Everybody has a favorite canned drink they enjoy from time to time. Do you know what we love just as much that you may not know about? The pop-tab! Not only do you feel refreshed, you can feel accomplished after drinking a canned beverage too! The pop-tabs are an essential part of opening the drink, but they are also beneficial…
When I was younger, I requested an apron for one of my birthdays. Why? Simply put, I wanted to be like my mom. What little girl doesn’t? Split between wanting to be like Cinderella and my mom, deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up was the hardest decision four-year-old me faced. While the apron I received was…
A note from RMHC Eastern WI guest Krystyna T.: My son was transferred to Children’s suddenly, from out of state. Thanks to RMH, we were able to stay near the hospital and not worry about all the little things we didn’t have time to pack. My other son was also able to stay with us, which was a way we…
With this being our final installment of the Walk Down Watertown series, we thought it was a good idea to end at our beginning. As Jeff Steren shared in his interview, our House story began with a very important relationship between local McDonald’s owner and operators and a parent support group called Living One Day at a Time (LODAT). LODAT…
Ann Petrie has been President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin for eight years. However, her relationship with RMHC began 27 years ago. Ann stayed at our House when her eldest daughter, Victoria, was just six months old. Victoria was born with multiple congenital heart defects and needed medical treatment at Children’s Hospital. Fast-forward about 15 years,…
As we reflect on what we are thankful for this week, the first thing that comes to mind is the team of over 550 volunteers who are the backbone of our House. We are so grateful for their compassion and support of our mission, year after year. Two examples of this everlasting support are Hospitality Volunteers Mary Harker and Carolyn…
As a legacy Board Director, Jeff Steren is very familiar with Watertown Plank Road. His parents Rose and Sol Steren were integral to the fruition and completion of our Ronald McDonald House®. It started with an idea which came shortly after the first House opened in 1974. Jeff’s father, who was a McDonald’s owner and operator on the South side…
Over the past 35 years, our House has been more than a place for families to stay while their children receive medical treatment at local hospitals. It has allowed guests like Amanda Upton to build relationships and a community of support that extends past these walls. Here she shares what RMHC has meant to her and her family: In September…