August 2015

Welcome Peg Strodtbeck, Our New Major Gifts Officer

 

We are happy to welcome Peg Strodtbeck to the RMHI team as our new Major Gifts Officer.  She will be working with major donors and corporations. She comes to us from Gleaners and previously worked at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Wheeler Mission. In her free time, Peg volunteers for the Symphonic Choir and the ISO Association. 

 

Please introduce yourself when you have the opportunity.  

 

Indiana Members Credit Union Presents Canvas for a Cause

 

 

Join us on Tuesday, August 11 from 6-9 p.m. at the House for Canvas for a Cause, presented by Indiana Members Credit Union. Forget about the stress of the day and enjoy the company of fellow painters from all different experience levels as you learn and create together! Proceeds from the event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana.

 

Click here to register.  

Click here to print a flyer you can share.

 

 

Glow in the Night 5K 

 

Join us for a glowing good time on August 14, at the Glow in the Night 5K. This is a family-friendly event that will leave you glowing from head to toe. The run will begin at 8:30 p.m. at the Ronald McDonald House and will follow the White River Trail. All ages and runner/walker levels are welcome to participate and proceeds benefit the House. After the run, be sure to stick around for the glowing after party! You can dance the night away under the black lights while getting covered in more glow dust. Register early and save $10. Don't miss out on this super fun way to support the House!

 

The Glow Run is also looking for enthusiastic individuals to help volunteer at this fun event. Because of their generous support, we want to offer our help to fill these spots. Volunteer responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: distributing participant pick-up packets, setting up and distributing water at drink stations and cheering on participants as Glow Run Course Monitors. Each volunteer will receive a free t-shirt.

 

Please consider joining us for a fun-filled evening. Click here to register as a participant or volunteer. For more information, please contact Rachel Moehle at [email protected] or at (317) 267-0605, ext. 208.  

 

2015 Golf Tournament

 

A great big thank you to everyone's spirit and "drive" that helped make our 2015 Golf Tournament very successful.  We are proud to announce that we raised over $72,000 for the families we serve.   Please visit our website to view photos from the tournament by clicking on the link below. It was a great day for the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana!

 

2015 Golf Tournament Photos

 

Thanks again, and we'll see you next year!

 

Operations Update - Limestone 

  • We would love to have a friendly and welcoming face at the front reception desk as regularly as possible. Based on work demands and the number of volunteers on your shift, please try to have one of your shift volunteers sitting at the reception desk to greet everyone who enters the House ensuring they are assisted, have temporary parking passes and that we know it is appropriate that they are in the House. You can reference the Greeter Desk Instructions flip chart if you have questions about what needs to be done. When a shift volunteer is minding the greeter desk, they can also assist with the typical GSV duties such as answering the phone, taking referrals, etc. when needed. We just want their primary attention to be on anyone who enters the House. Feel free to work out coverage with your shift mates: someone may prefer to cover the desk or you may decide to rotate the greeter. In the meantime, Mary will continue recruiting volunteers who are interested in being Greeters (only), targeting the late afternoon shifts that tend to have the most front door traffic with dinner groups, etc. Please don't hesitate to ask if you have questions!
  • Please remember that only sheets and towels are to go down the laundry chute.  Take mattress pads, blankets and bedspreads to the basement and put them in the laundry cart by the washer and dryer.
  • Please share one of our tear off information sheets with families who are not familiar with both our locations.  The narrow one provides information about the RMHI at Riley.  The wider one contains information about the services at the RMHI at Limestone.
  • Please remember to provide guests a copy of the Exit Survey for both Limestone and RMH Riley at check-in and ask that they turn it in at check-out. Be sure to follow-up during the check-out process so we can get as many completed survey's returned as possible.  The feedback we receive is very helpful for program review and future planning.
 

Volunteer Recognition Celebration

 

We are excited to announce that we will be returning to the Indiana Landmarks Center for this year's volunteer recognition event on the evening of Friday, September 25.  If you haven't had the opportunity to visit this beautiful, historic building, please click on the link below:

 

 Indiana Landmarks Center

 

 

2015 Golf Tournament

 

A great big thank you to everyone's spirit and "drive" that helped make our 2015 Golf Tournament very successful.  We are proud to announce that we raised over $72,000 for the families we serve.   Please visit our website to view photos from the tournament by clicking on the link below. It was a great day for the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana!

 

2015 Golf Tournament Photos 

 

Thanks again, and we'll see you next year!


 

Mission Moment

  

At last month's golf tournament, 13-year-old former house guest, Lexi Calhoun, shared a short message about how she feels about the RMHI.


The Ronald McDonald House, what it does, and the people it helps, means so much to me. Five years ago when I walked through the doors, I looked up to see a blue ceiling with puffy white clouds.  I walked straight through the hallway and saw a big fish tank with all kinds of different fish. To me the Ronald McDonald House was a home. It was a place where I could play, eat, sleep and be happy, and that is what a home is. It was where my family was, my whole family. I can honestly say that staying at the Ronald McDonald House has been one of the best experiences of my life. I'll never forget playing in the toy room and eating Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room. Some how the caring people who work there managed to put a smile on my face every single day through a confusing, frustrating, and upsetting time. 


 Thank you, Lexi!


Updated Volunteer Schedule

 

Please click on the link below for the updated volunteer schedules:

 

August Guest Services Volunteer Schedule

 


Happy Birthday!

 

Please join us in celebrating the following RMHI birthdays: 

 

Katie Patterson

Josh Thien

Vicki Tipton

Dale Roberts

Deanna Hoskins

Laurie Eagan

Yin Li

Chelsea Meldrum

Maddie Rhinesmith

Jennifer Cannady

Jessica Kartawich

Emily Crane

8/1 

8/4

8/4

8/5

8/6

8/8

8/8

8/8

8/8

8/9

8/10

8/11 

Ashley Johnson

Pam Baker

Josh Baranski

Brenda True

Alicia Schulhof

Marcia Dougherty

Donna Adams

Jamie Leahy

Pam Lawlis

Brent Morrison

Stephen

   Luedeman

Yuval Sharon 

8/11

8/12

8/13

8/14

8/15

8/17

8/19

8/20

8/21

8/21

 

8/24

8/24

 

Linda Downey

Richard Hammer

Sherri Kiesle

Daniel Kinsey

Rega Kowalski

Jim O'Connor

Janice Rainey

Amy Braunlich

Morgan Piasecki

Cheri Wilson

Marilyn Pinnick

8/25

8/26

8/26

8/26

8/26

8/26

8/26

8/28

8/28

8/30

8/31
 

 

 

 


Upcoming Events

 

Visit our website or watch for details in future editions of this newsletter for these events that involve our volunteers.

(* Denotes a third-party event where RMHI is the beneficiary of community events organized by individuals, local organizations, schools or businesses.)

 

Sporting Clays Shoot & Barbecue

September 5

 

Volunteer Orientation

September 16

 

Volunteer Recognition

September 25 

Taste...Journeys to the Wine Regions of Italy

November 6

 

Winter Wonderland Holiday Open House

December 1

 


Substitute List
 

Please call these volunteers if you need a substitute.


Limestone
  • Lori Ball: (317) 371-9150 (Not available on Tues., Wed. or Thurs.)
  • Jennifer Cannady: [email protected] (Weekend only)
  • Craig Ito: [email protected] (Weekdays 9 a.m. - 12 noon) 
  • Rega Kowalski: (317) 241-1566
  • Mercedes Roots: (317) 356-9002 (Afternoons)
  • Paula Swift: (317) 797-1398 (3:30-9:30 p.m. and Weekends)
  • Marge Vogel: [email protected]
  • David Wilkerson: (317) 294-4948 (Weekdays 9 a.m. - 12 noon)

 Riley

  • Donna Adams: [email protected] (Weekends) 
  • Michael Rhinaman: (317) 258-4688 (Weekday Evenings)

If you would like to add your name to this list, please contact Mary Friend at [email protected] or at (317) 267-0605, ext. 225.

 

Please remember to notify the manager on duty for last minute shift cancellations, and if you know your conflict in advance, notify Mary Friend.  Also let us know if you are able to find a substitute so we can update the schedule. Be sure to notify Mary or the manager on duty directly rather than through your shift mates. 

 

 Thank you!


Our Mission

To provide a supportive home-away-from-home for families of children receiving medical care at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health and other area hospitals. 


Our Vision

Nurturing a community where children and their families embrace life and healing with a sense of hope, enthusiasm, courage and joy.


 

Our Values

I CARE

  • Innovation: We aim for continuous improvement to provide the highest level of comfort and care for our families.
  • Compassion: We seek to listen, understand and serve.
  • Accountability: We strive for the highest level of integrity and transparency with all of our partners and stakeholders.
  • Respect: We treat all people with dignity, compassion and respect.
  • Excellence: We embrace our mission and passionately commit to creating the best home-away-from-home for our families.

Ronald McDonald House of Indiana
435 Limestone St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.269.2247
Newsletter Editor:
Mary Friend, CVA
Volunteer Resources Manager
Direct Line:
317.267.0605 x225