January 2017 
| Vol 9, Issue 1
Keeping Families Close
Ronald McDonald House Charities © of Central Ohio
Zariah is a fighter

In Salt Lake City, Utah, The Donovan Family was told their daughter Zariah, born four months early, had a 15% chance of survival. After visiting 5 different hospitals in Utah, her survival rate went down to 0% and the family was asked for 3 months to take their daughter off of life support. Through prayer, positive energy and skin-to-skin contact, Zariah's health improved and they found a hospital that gave her a 96% chance of survival. This news forced Shawn Donovan to quit his job, commit to 3 years by Zariah's side, leave his wife and other daughter, Raven in Utah and make the strenuous 25 hour trip to Columbus, Ohio, for the NICU at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "I was the only one who could calm Zariah without the use of sedations. This resulted in endless shifts in the NICU to keep our daughter alive." Shawn explains that although being away from his wife and 2 year old are unbearable, all of his focus is on Zariah and her determination and fight gets him through each and every day. 
 
Shawn Donovan also recently went on a fitness journey (The LifeTime weight loss challenge) that took 60 days and was physically, emotionally and mentally draining. His daughter has worked hard too, enduring multiple diagnoses of pneumonia, heart surgery, 12 blood transfusions and a lung collapse. She hasn't let any of that stop her. 
 
Shawn says Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio has "opened its arms to him and allowed him to fight by his daughter's side. It's been an amazing experience and the moral support from others around the House that I've received is overwhelming."
 
Having the Columbus Crew SC gym at the Ronald McDonald House during his fitness journey made a huge difference. Shawn says, "Some days when Zariah wasn't doing well, I still had all of the tools to be successful in my own health which ultimately helps her heal."  Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio knows the importance of caring for the families of seriously ill children and as a father of a daughter in the NICU Shawn now knows it's sometimes easy to forget that, "You first have to take care of yourself in order to take care of your child." 
 
With no other setbacks, Zariah should be home in Utah by the end of summer and her family is so excited to continue life together again.  Shawn is thankful for this journey and especially for RMHC giving him and his family all of the tools they needed for Zariah's care to be successful. 

 

Coach Thad Matta needs your votes! 

The Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge is in full swing, and Coach Thad Matta needs your votes! The winning coach will be awarded $100,000 for the charity of their choice and Coach Matta has chosen RMHC of Central Ohio.

Please cast your daily vote through March 12th by visiting VoteCoachMatta.com
A big thank you to Thirty-One Gifts
Thank you to Thirty-One Gifts for their generous support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. Thirty-One Gifts adopted a long-term stay home where guest families who stay at RMHC for six months or longer have the opportunity to stay. Their gift of $100,000 will provide countless nights for families of seriously-ill children in need of a place to call home for a long period of time. While our average length of stay is only eight days, we have had families stay with us for over two years. Having a home to call their own when they are with us for a long period of time is important to their overall well being. We are thankful for the support and generosity Thirty-One provides our families.

For more information on naming opportunities please contact Angela Hartley, Sr. Development Director. 
  
Win designer handbags at Handbag Hullabaloo!
Movin' and shakin' for RMHC 
 
The 3rd annual BobcaThon Dance Marathon at Ohio University is a year-long fundraising and awareness effort for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio! Please click on the link below to learn more about how you can support the efforts of these amazing students! 
 
Saturday, February 11th 
 

Staff, Volunteers, and guests at the Ronald McDonald House did a little dancing to encourage our friends at BobcaThon 
Staff, Volunteers, and guests at the Ronald McDonald House did a little dancing to encourage our friends at BobcaThon

Run in one of these 5K's on Saturday, June 3rd!
 
Bring wellness to your workplace in the  Challenge Columbus 5k benefiting RMHC!
 
 
Love to golf? Golf in one of our tournaments this summer!
 
 
Run with Team RMHC 
Team RMHC is the charity running team for the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. We run, walk and step for RMHC families. It's all for the kids, and you just might achieve some personal goals while you're at it! 
 
NEW THIS SPRING
  • RECEIVE A FREE CAP CITY RACE BIB WHEN YOU RAISE $500
  • NEW FITNESS GOALS? JOIN OUR FITBIT STEP CHALLENGE
  • NEW TRAINING PROGRAM WITH THE COLUMBUS RUNNING COMPANY

 
2017 Sponsorship Opportunities

Make a difference by keeping families close at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. Special event sponsors receive participation opportunities and recognition at RMHC of Central Ohio events throughout the year. With levels ranging from $3,000 to $50,000, you or your company can participate at any level.


Our annual Joe Mortellaro Golf Classic is right around the corner!  To learn how you can sponsor this event and others please   email Jamie Foltz or call 614-227-3740. 
 
2017 RMHC Special Events
  • Dig It for the House
  • Handbag Hullabaloo
  • Paint the Town Center Red
  • A Taste of Tinseltown
  • Sporting Clays
  • The Bake Sale

WISH LIST TOP TEN
    1. Paper Towels
    2. 13 gallon trash bags
    3. Gift & Gas Cards to local retailers (Target, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's)
    4. HE Laundry Soap (PODS preferred)
    5. Disinfecting Spray (i.e. Lysol)
    6. Breakfast Cereal and Pop Tarts
    7. Flashlights
    8. Scrubbing Bubbles for bathtubs
    9. Disinfecting Wipes
    10. Large full-sized foil steam table pans
Every time you shop at  AmazonSmile , Amazon will donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio! If you have an Amazon account or are setting up an account, please select Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio as your charitable organization! 

Community Fundraisers 
 


 
Foodiecard Online Sales
A Foodiecard deck cost $30 and includes over $500 in coupon savings at 54 different restaurants around Columbus. Foodiecard donates 50% of every deck sold from Foodiecard.org when you select RMHC as your cause to support. 
Good Deed Rags: Providing Help To those Who Provide Hope
Purchase a shirt from  Good Deed Rags , and select Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio as your charity and $10 from each shirt comes back to the House. 


Giant Eagle Gift Cards Promotion
Purchase a Giant Eagle gift card and shop in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio families! Contact  Carly Damman  to purchase a gift card.
House Meals
Click on the picture to visit the meal page on our website. 

Meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House are provided by generous people like you in the community.  

There are no available dinner dates for February. Click the link below to view the calendar and sign up for early March!

Quick Links
Volunteer
Become a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House and make a difference. To learn more and apply, click here.
Naming Opportunities 
The Ronald McDonald House has grown!  Click here  to learn more about how you can leave your mark at the House.
Donate a Vehicle 
Donate a car, truck, boat, RV, motorcycle, tractor, or any other vehicle and help sick kids.  Click here
to donate today.

  Donate Now