Ronald McDonald House

A popular service project for troops in our Service Unit over the past few years has been to prepare and serve a meal to the guests at the Ronald McDonald House. The new Volunteer Coordinator at RMH, Stephanie Crellin, would like to open up additional service opportunities for our troops and make some changes to how the scheduling of those events will be handled. Our Service Unit will no longer have pre-assigned dates to choose from for the meal program throughout the school year. Stephanie would prefer that troop leaders contact her directly to schedule those commitments.

In addition to the meal program, there are many other ways our troops can serve at RMH such as holding a "wish list" drive, hosting an ice cream social, or providing home baked deserts for the house which may fit better with the schedules and abilities of some of our troops. It can be a bit overwhelming to prepare dinner for 75 people especially if you have a troop of 1st grade Brownies! There are even potential Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award project opportunities at RMH.

Stephanie will be attending the October 19th Service Unit meeting to discuss the service opportunities at RMH. You can contact her before that time by email at stephanie-rmh@fuse.net or by phone at 636-5586. If you are still interested in the meal preparation project, you will need to contact her as soon as possible as those dates (especially weekend dates) fill up quickly. Information regarding the meal program at RMH will be posted on the Service Unit website which will provide guidelines for the meal preparation, meal suggestions, and directions to the facility. If you have any other questions, please contact Diane Seymour at 984-1307.

Thank you for your interest in providing a home-cooked meal for the families who are staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati. This program provides a much-needed service to the House guest families, who are supporting their sick children and often don’t have the time, funds, or energy to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. These guidelines will help you plan a successful meal at our “home away from home” for families of critically ill children.

This volunteer service to the House is usually a 3 to 4 hour time commitment. If I haven’t heard from you prior, I will contact you approximately two weeks prior to your meal date to confirm your menu choices.

For the safety of our House children and parents, anyone in your group who is coughing, feverish, has a runny nose or has been exposed to a contagious disease should not visit the House. Some guests are in isolation or have immune-suppressed bodies and cannot fight even the simplest cold. There are gloves available for all visitors, and we encourage frequent hand-washing while in the House.

Thank you again for your generous offer to provide a meal for our families! Coming home from the hospital to a home-cooked meal, made by people who care, is a real gift to our families.

Stephanie Crellin

Coordinator of Volunteer Services

513-636-5586

Taco bar, taco salad, refried beans, burritos, enchiladas or other Mexican dishes

Take I-71 North to Reading Road, exit 2. Keep straight off the exit toward Reading Road. Travel approx 1/2 mile to the 3rd traffic light. Veer off to the left where the road forks (there is a left turn arrow - this is Burnet Avenue) Travel approx 1 mile. Turn right onto Erkenbrecher Avenue, just after Cincinnati Children’s. Our parking lot is the first driveway on the right.

Take I-71 South to William Howard Taft, exit 3. Stay in far right lane. At third

light, turn right onto Burnet Avenue. Turn left onto Erkenbrecher Avenue, just after Cincinnati Children’s. Our parking lot is the first driveway on the right.

Take I-75 North to Mitchell Avenue. exit, turn right off of the exit. At first light, turn

right onto Vine Street. Follow Vine to the Cincinnati Zoo, located at the corner

lot is a driveway on the left, just before Burnet Avenue, and after you pass Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Entrance.

Take I-75 South to Mitchell Avenue exit, turn left off of the exit. At the second light, turn right onto Vine Street. Follow Vine to the Cincinnati Zoo, located at the corner of Vine and Erkenbrecher Avenue. Turn left onto Erkenbrecher Ave. Our parking

lot is a driveway on the left, just before Burnet Avenue, and after you pass Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Entrance.

© Please enter Ronald McDonald House through the large wood door off the Erkenbrecher parking lot, just behind the bench where Ronald McDonald sits. Please ring our doorbell in the foyer and a volunteer will greet you. All visitors to our House sign in and wear a yellow lanyard (cloth necklace) while on our property.

© Additional parking is available in our lower parking lot, off Hearne Avenue, which is parallel to Erkenbrecher Avenue. You will need to stop in at the front desk before you drive to this lot and get the gate opener, as the gate is locked. If you park here, please walk up the outside stairs to our main entrance and return the gate opener.

Ronald McDonald House Ice Cream Social Volunteer Opportunity----NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW 10/05/06

Thank you for your interest in providing an Ice Cream Social for the families who are staying at Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House while their children are being treated at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This program provides a chance for our guest families to enjoy some “down time” and socialization. These guidelines will help you plan a successful social at our “home away from home” for families with critically ill children.

This volunteer service to the House is usually a maximum two-hour time commitment.

For the safety of our House children and parents, anyone in your group who is coughing, feverish, has a runny nose or has been exposed to a contagious disease should not visit the House. Some children are in isolation or have immune-suppressed bodies and cannot fight even the simplest cold. There are gloves available for all visitors, and we encourage frequent hand-washing while in the House.

Thank you again for your generous offer to provide some treats and relaxation for our families! Coming home from the hospital to an ice cream social, made by people who care, is a real gift to our families.