March 2016
Congratulations to IUPUI's Top 100 Students

Please join us in congratulating the following RMHI volunteers and IUPUI Students who were named IUPUI's Top 100 Students!

Hannah Gish - Volunteer Resources Intern
Riley Mineart - Guest Services Volunteer - Riley
Morgan Moran - Guest Services Volunteer - Riley
Bryce Nelson - Guest Services Volunteer - Limestone
 
Volunteers Needed:  Healing Heroes Donor Appreciation Breakfast
March 16, 2016
 
Each spring we take the opportunity to show our appreciation to our major donors for all that they do with a large breakfast and presentation of our accomplishments here at the House.  This is a fun and impactful event but requires a lot of hands to make things run as smoothly as possible.  This year's breakfast has been scheduled for the morning of  Wednesday, March 16 and we are in need of the following volunteers.  If you are interested in help with this event, please contact Sonya Robinson, our new Development Officer at srobinson@rmhindiana.org.

Below outlines the help we need:

Tuesday, March 15 - Set up
  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - 4 people to move furniture
  • 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. - 4 - 5 people to assist with set up of tables and chairs

Wednesday, March 15 - Help with the breakfast

  • 6 a.m. to 9. a.m. - Bus tables, refill coffee, etc.
 
Volunteers Wanted
  
  • Organizational Help for Staff Clean-Up Day
On Friday, April 1st, the RMHI staff will be doing some spring cleaning.  If you would like to help, please let Mary Friend know.
  
  • Service Group Host
Host some of our larger service groups.  Meet with an operations staff member a few days before to discuss the details and then work with the group the day of their service project.

  • Courtyard Master
Limestone is in need of a Courtyard Master to maintain the courtyard and outdoor grills so our meal groups can provide great cookouts during the warmer months. 
  
  • Van Driver
Drive the RMHI van to transport House guests for regularly scheduled shopping runs.  This volunteer will also assist in making deliveries between Limestone and the RMHI at Riley.

To learn more about these opportunities, please click on the link below and then contact Mary Friend.
  

  

 
Keeping a Healthy House
 
As a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, we have the special opportunity to interact with the families we serve each day.  However, as such, it can be very easy to spread various illnesses that may ultimately come back to their hospitalized child.  In order to continue our mission of providing a safe and supportive home-away-from-home for our families, it is important to do what we can to keep everyone in good health.  This is why everyone with direct contact with our families is asked to get an annual TB test.  Please observe the following additional health and safety guidelines so that we may continue to maintain a healthy home.  Thank you!
  • Hand hygiene: Wash/sanitize hands before preparing food, eating or after cleaning a room.
  • Glove use: Use gloves when you might have possible contact with blood or body fluids.  Always wash your hands after glove removal, and never wash and/or reuse gloves.
  • Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette: Contain respiratory secretions by covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, promptly disposing of soiled tissues, and performing hand hygiene afterwards.  Maintain a distance of 3-6 feet from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
  • Safe injection practices: Dispose of used needles separately from all other trash in a rigid, puncture-resistant container.
  • Laundry management: Do not shake soiled linens and clothing.
  • Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces: Surfaces and items in common areas and playrooms should be cleaned and disinfected frequently, and toys that are smooth and scrubable are preferred to facilitate cleaning. 
  • Call in and stay home if you have any symptoms of any illness you think might be contagious.
 
Employment Opportunities
 
We are currently recruiting for two position.  For details, click on the appropriate links below:

 

Part-time Guest Services Assistants at our Limestone Street location

Guest Services Assistant

 

Full-time Program Coordinator

Program Coordinator

 
A Couple of Quick and Easy Ways to Help Support the House
  
Indiana Members Credit Union Gives Back
Vote for the Ronald McDonald House for a chance for us to win $6,000. Click on the link below, scroll down to the list of nominated organizations and vote!


You can vote once per day now through March 31, 2016.

Super Service Challenge
In 2015, our House won two $500 grants from videos submitted by Sheridan High School and by IUPUI students about their volunteer experience. In 2016, we want to do more!

Any volunteer group of two or more can enter by doing the following:
  1. While you're volunteering, create a short (two minutes or less) video explaining why you volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House.  The video must contain at least two people in your group.
  2. Upload to the Super Service Challenge website.
  3. Share with your friends and family so they can vote!
Each submission is placed on the Super Service Challenge website for viewing.  Anyone can vote for any video they see on the site.  For every 25 votes that a video collects, the video will receive an additional entry to win a prize.
  
To learn more, please visit their website: Super Service Challenge.
 
Operations Update - Limestone  
  
Pop Tabs
Please remember that pop tabs need to be removed from any type of collection container (cans, bottles, boxes or bags) before being placed in the large pop tab boxes in the garage.  This avoids delays in the large pop tab boxes being picked up from our recycler.

If the pop tab containers cannot be emptied immediately, please leave the collection containers in the space between the large boxes and the dumpster or in the garage closest to the House.  This way, someone can empty the pop tabs into the large pop tab boxes later and properly dispose of the collection containers.  
 

Look Who Was Caught Rolling Out The Red Carpet

 

Mary Friend, caught Lisa Contino, Guest Services Volunteer (GSV) at Riley, demonstrating cooperation, communication, teamwork and professionalism recently.

 

Mary wrote: "Not only is Lisa a GSV, she is also an IUPUI Psychology Professor and has some of her senior students volunteering at the House as part of a service learning project. From her personal experience as well as her students', Lisa proposed a new interactive element to the GSV training wrap-up session.  Actual scenarios that GSVs face are now presented and discussed among the group.  The result has been impactful and will continue to be used in future sessions." 

  

Thanks Lisa!

_________________________________________________________________

 

Congratulations Lisa!  Your name was drawn this month in our Red Carpet Award drawing and your Crew's Carwash pass is in the mail.

_________________________________________________________________

 

Remember if you catch a volunteer or staff member rolling out the red carpet and demonstrating excellent customer service, please submit a nomination using the form below listing the criteria.  Printed copies of this form are also available in the front office at both Limestone and Riley.  Each month, all nominations are eligible for a random drawing for a Crew's Carwash pass.

 

Please click on the following link for the nomination form:

 

Red Carpet Nomination Form

 

 

Updated Volunteer Schedule

 

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

 

March Guest Services Schedule

 


Happy Birthday!
 
Please join us in celebrating the following RMHI birthdays: 
  
Vikki Hall
Naomi Dart
Rhonda Hainer
Mary Glenn Rinne
Ashley Davis
Abby Fox
Morgan Rogers
Bob Schofield
Candice Bradbury
Andy Ball
Kurt Beier
Betty Bever
Marisa Huncherick
Lisa Lusk
3/1
3/2
3/2
3/2
3/3
3/6
3/6
3/6
3/9
3/10
3/10
3/10
3/13
3/13
Kari Eder
Dave Kleiman
Dave Monnier
Sheri Boesch
Paul Smith
Mark Imel
Mary Krause
Allen Oberlin
Jean Buehner
Stephanie Miles
Craig Ito
Ruthann Lord
Marge Vogel
3/14
3/14
3/15
3/17
3/18
3/19
3/19
3/19
3/20
3/20
3/22
3/22
3/22
 
Shirley
   Yegerlehner
Chris Clark
Sheryl Lesem
Antonnette Jones
Alex Miser
Trish Sergi
Randy Shields
Ruthann Kirkman
David Mason
Marco Ray
Byron Robinson
Linda Fogle
Leah Hall

3/23
3/24
3/25
3/26
3/27
3/27
3/28
3/29
3/29
3/29
3/29
3/31
3/31

Upcoming Events
 
Visit our website or watch for details in future editions of this newsletter for these events.
(* Denotes a third-party event where RMHI is the beneficiary of community events organized by individuals, local organizations, schools or businesses.)
 
Healing Heroes Donor Appreciation Breakfast
March 16 

New Volunteer Orientation
March 31

Cooking for a Cause
April 21

Heroes for the House Walk/Run
June 18

Swing for Kids Golf Tournament
June 23
Pop Tab and Coin Drop
July 15

Sporting Clays Shoot & Barbecue
September 17 

A Taste...Journeys to California Wine Country
Date to be determined
 
Home for the Holidays Holiday Open House
November 29


 

Substitute List
 
Please contact these volunteers if you need a substitute.

Limestone
  • Lori Ball: (317) 371-9150 (Not available on Tues., Wed. or Thurs.)
  • Jennifer Cannady: jcannady17@gmail.com (Weekend only)
  • Craig Ito: craigito@juno.com (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)

 Riley

If you would like to add your name to this list, please contact Mary Friend at mfriend@rmhindiana.org 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
mfriend@rmhindiana.org
Direct Line:
317.267.0605 x225