Love Notes
spring 2012 | volume 27
2011 Annual Report
A Publication of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, Inc.
®
Plus
Inspiring family stories
Love Notes • Spring 2012
1
2012 RMHC Board of Trustees Officers
Edward Ameen, Chairman
Ana Wallrapp, President
John Iwanicki, Vice-President
Claudia Straw, Treasurer
Diane Keane, Secretary
Dan Honegger, Immediate Past President
Message from the
Executive Director
A new year fills me with anticipation of all the great things to
come. I am amazed to think that we are entering our 32nd year of
providing comfort and care to thousands of pediatric families.
The challenge of providing the same level of service to our
programs with less income has compelled us to count on more
partnerships and community fundraisers. While we still rely on
many individuals to help us raise critical operating funds, we are
always looking in new ways and directions to find financial support. To that end, we are very
excited to announce the launch of a new partnership with Walgreens that will allow us to reach
an even wider audience. Beginning in March, RMH donation canisters will be placed at the cash
registers in 40+ Pinellas County Walgreens stores. As a new partner, Walgreens is also committed
to supporting our Storybook Ball, along with developing new initiatives down the road for our
charity. We are very grateful to be a part of the Walgreens family.
Other partners that we rely on for community fundraisers include Pediatric Services of Florida’s
Suncoast Classic Run for Kids, Kimal Lumber, the Taylor Family and Southwest Airlines, who raise
substantial funds from their golf and fishing tournaments to support operations of our four Houses.
I invite you to become a RMH partner and/or hold a fundraising event on our behalf. We can’t
do it alone and we thank you for your continued support of our families, who need our help each
and every day of the year. May the year ahead bring much meaning and joy to you and your family.
Members
Brian Auld
Pam Barber
William Cassidy
Kristy Chase-Tozer
Tina Dyakon
Brian Ford
Chris Frost
Steve Griggs
Jeff Harring
Stacy Howell
Harry Hutt
George Meyer
Dan Paone
Bonnie Patchen
Tom Powers
Bob Sanders
Don Schreyer
Julie S. Stapf
Tom Waters
Susan Wendt
Jill Wolf
Janice L. Davis
Executive Director & CEO
Donna Young
House Director & COO
Staff
Fondly,
Janice L. Davis
Executive Director & CEO
In this issue
Annual Report
House Happenings
Finding Hope: Ava’s Story
Charity Golf Classic
Light a Light Recap
Donor Listings - Friends Helping 2011 Friends Award
Friends
Kids Helping Kids
A Courageous Little Princess - Upcoming Events
Callie’s Story
Administration
Joo Hooi Albritton, Donor Relations Mgr.
Alison Barrick, Mktg/Comm. Manager
Lauren Sawyer, P/T Events Assistant
St. Pete East
Lynn Lippincott, Family Coordinator
Sue Corder, Information Specialist
Joan Gould, Operations Assistant
Cindy Lewis, Operations Assistant
Kathy Papadopoulos, Operations Assistant
Rebecca Saglibene, Evening Manager
St. Pete West
Ann Seidenstricker, House Manager
Lise Fields, Volunteer Coordinator
Carla Sibilia, Operations Assistant
St. Pete Central
Melanie Trubey, House Manager
Kensie Yarbrough, Evening Manager
Jil Milley, Operations Assistant
Tampa House
Betsy Wilkinson, House Manager
Maggie Somerville, Program Assistant
Love Notes is published twice per year for families
and friends of Ronald McDonald House Charities® of
Tampa Bay. Comments may be directed to: Ronald
McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, 28 Columbia
Drive, Tampa, FL 33606, (813) 258-6430
www.rmhctampabay.com
Design courtesy of Pamela Raper
Writing & production Alison Barrick
Core Programs
Ronald McDonald House®
Since 1980, we have provided comfort and care for more than 40,000 families in our
four Tampa Bay houses offering 80 bedrooms each night to families with children
being treated in nearby hospitals. RMH St. Pete East and West are adjacent to All
Children’s Hospital; RMH Central is inside the All Children’s Hospital Outpatient Care
Center; RMH Tampa is adjacent to Tampa General Hospital and also serves families
with children at St. Joseph’s Children’s and Shriners hospitals.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Program, (RMCM) managed by the USF
Department of Pediatrics, is a mobile clinic that expands access to quality health care
by providing medical and dental services to underserved children. The RMCM travels
to 40 of the 209 Hillsborough County School District elementary, middle, and high
schools and also serves five schools in Pasco County. From February 2006 through
December 2011 the program served 7,518 students, providing over $2 million of
medical services through school visits and community health fairs at no charge to
the patients’ families. In addition, the RMCM makes monthly visits to a community
homeless center and a domestic violence shelter.
In 2011, the RMCM program cared for 886 patients. In addition to providing
health and dental care to underserved children, the RMCM program also functions
as an educational opportunity for USF medical residents and students. Approximately
68 Pediatric residents participate in the RMCM Program as part of their Advocacy and
Ambulatory Rotations. They experience first-hand the challenges uninsured kids/
families face in receiving quality health care and finding dental and subspecialty
providers to care for them. The RMCM program helps prepare these students for the
role of child health advocate within the community.
Scholarship Program
In 2011, we honored 23 high school sophomore students from our eleven-county
area at a special awards luncheon held at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, courtesy of
the McDonald’s Tampa Bay Co-op. These students were awarded scholarships for a
pre-paid two-year Florida college tuition or equivalent tuition towards an approved
accredited institution. The students came with their families, school counselors and
teachers from our 11 counties to enjoy a special lunch and be recognized for their
hard work. McDonald’s owner/operators and RMHC Board members also attend to
help honor the recipients and be inspired by their stories.
Love Notes • Spring 2012
3
2011
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Tampa Bay
ANNUAL REPORT
Income by Percentage
70
PUBLIC SUPPORT
15
13
SPECIAL EVENTS
INVESTMENTS
3
FAMILY DONATIONS
Expense by Percentage
85
PROGRAM EXPENSES
8
FUNDRAISING
*A copy of the audited Financial Report of RMHC of Tampa Bay, Inc. is available on our website.
The industry standard is not to exceed 25 percent for fundraising and management costs.
4
Love Notes • Spring 2012
7
MANAGEMENT
HOUSE STATISTICS
Families Served
New Families
% Occupancy
Areas Served (FL counties)
States/D.C. (not FL)
Countries not US
Average Length of Stay
ST PETE
1,519
1,164
70.7%
45
28
12
7.49
TAMPA
256
231
74.4%
26
6
8
10.77
COMBINED
1,775
1,395
71.3%
46
30
16
7.9
ST PETE
16,280
244
1,560
48
TAMPA
5,662
97
244
14
COMBINED
21,942
341
1,804
62
ST PETE
510
287
57
854
TAMPA
307
COMBINED
307
1,161
Central House Day Use 2011 Daytime Family Visits
Average Visits/Day
2,700
7.40
Volunteers
House Volunteer Hours
Number of Volunteers
Teen Volunteer Hours
Number of Teens
Meals
East
West
Central
TOTAL
Top 7 Counties
#families/County
Pasco179
Lee165
Polk163
Sarasota117
Manatee111
Hernando111
Hillsborough110
31 States (including FL and DC)
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Top 5 Diagnoses by #Nights
Neonatology
Critical Care
Cardiology
Bone Marrow Transplant
General Pediatrics
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
Puerto Rico
Countries
Belize
Canada
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Ecuador
Germany
Guatemala
Guinea-Conakry
Ireland
Jamaica
Netherlands
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
South Africa
United Kingdom
Venezuela
Love Notes • Spring 2012
5
Ava enjoyed having
her face painted by
Nurse Bandi Aid.
63
Love Notes • Fall
Spring
2011
2012
Families First
Finding Hope
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Helping Kids Like Ava
Like many children in the St. Pete East House, seven- determine. Michelle and husband Kelvin were shocked
year old Ava Alexander enjoys stopping by the office and devastated. Searching for answers, they got a second
to chat with House Director Donna Young and Family neurologist’s opinion while researching on their own.
Coordinator Lynn Lippincott. In Ava’s case, chatting What they found did not change things, but helped
requires use of an Ipod Touch with a special character them deal with the reality of their daughter’s condition.
application that allows her to communicate with the The second neurologist surmised that Ava had suffered
outside world, since she is nonverbal. Ava and her perinatal brain damage, and nothing could have
mother Michelle stayed at the St. Pete House while prevented it.
Ava underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy
(HBOT) twice daily at the nearby Chamber
of Hope, the only free clinic of its kind in the
A diffuse brain injury is a type of traumatic brain injury that has an effect
United States.
When Michelle gave birth to Ava, she was
on the entire brain. The severity of diffuse brain injury can range from mild
quickly thrust into her first of many healthcare
challenges that lay ahead. Only 12 hours after to fatal. Diffuse brain damage usually can only be seen microscopically.
birth, Ava began having seizures and was put
on medication and a ventilator. The doctors
ruled out infection and trauma to the brain
Now that Ava’s condition had a name, the Alexanders
after a series of tests including an MRI and EEG. The
latter test hinted at possible issues, but no conclusive located support groups and continued their research. For
evidence appeared. The doctors tried several different many months previously, the only diagnosis mentioned
medications to control Ava’s seizures, but she still was microcephaly, because Ava’s head seemed small
continued to have problems with breathing and sleeping, in relation to the rest of her body. Microcephaly is a
medical condition in which the circumference of the
requiring additional hospital stays.
Once Ava reached three months of age, another head is smaller than normal because the brain has not
battery of tests was done to identify the source of her developed properly or has stopped growing.
With a diagnosis of brain damage, treatment
seizures and breathing issues. It soon became apparent
that Ava was not achieving the normal milestones for her options changed. The family resides near Chattanooga,
age. The Alexanders went to genetic testing for answers, Tennessee which is home to the Siskin Children’s
which proved fruitless. At six months of age, another Institute, a non-profit organization that helps children
EEG showed abnormal activity for little Ava, but still no with autism, down syndrome, developmental delays and
other special needs. This clinic has been very helpful to
further answers could be found.
Once Ava turned two years old, the doctors performed the Alexanders by putting them in touch with various
another MRI. This time, the test revealed that Ava had treatment and therapy providers such as the horse
diffuse brain injury – a diagnosis that is often difficult to therapy that Ava now enjoys.
Love Notes • Spring 2012
7
One day during horse therapy, the mother of a
child with autism mentioned the benefits of hyperbaric
oxygen therapy (HBOT) for children with disabilities.
She had tried HBOT for her son, who began to talk
after treatment. Michelle was excited –
here was something that might make a
big difference for Ava. She researched
HBOT online and came across Selama
Grotto, the organization that funds The
Chamber of Hope in St. Petersburg.
Michelle called the facility and spoke
to Mark Fowler, the clinic’s founder.
Once a month, Spa Olimpia
He encouraged her to bring Ava for
invites RMH moms and
treatment, but suggested she speak with
her family before making a decision.
dads to enjoy a special day
Michelle and Kelvin were excited for
of pampering on the house.
Ava
to undergo HBOT, however, there
“During their stay, Michelle
were
many factors to consider. Michelle
took Ava to Spa Olimpia for
would have to leave her job, husband
her birthday, where she was
and four-year old son for several months
treated like a princess. The
while she and Ava drove to Florida to stay
staff was enamored by Ava
the six weeks required for treatment.
and took up a collection to
Michelle was relieved to learn a Ronald
buy her a new iPad to use for
McDonald House was nearby for HBOT
communicating with friends
families. In mid-October, Michelle and
and family.
Ava made the long drive to Florida for
Ava’s first appointment on October 29.
It is easy for parents to get their hopes up once
they meet other families at the Chamber of Hope’s
facility. Many families have seen great success with their
child’s progress, some learning to speak or even walk
after treatment. Michelle is happy to report that she
does see some improvement with Ava’s concentration,
Spa Olimpia
pampers RMH
Families
8
Love Notes • Spring 2012
allowing her to read for longer periods of time. Her
comprehension has increased, resulting in better
behavior. Since Ava gets frustrated when she is unable
to communicate, she throws tantrums and those have
diminished. Michelle’s greatest hope is that Ava will
eventually be able to talk, but in the meantime, she feels
that anything that helps calm Ava is a great help.
As a busy mom with two small children, Michelle’s
expertise as a graphic designer allows her to work
remotely. Her t-shirt site www.superdupergirls.com
sells cute graphic tees for pre-teens modeled by Ava.
Kelvin and four-year old Jaden were able to visit over
Thanksgiving, allowing the Alexanders to spend the
holiday together.
Returning for further HBOT is definitely in the
cards, according to Michelle. They will likely wait until
the school year is finished so the family can come
together over the summer. Jaden and Ava are both eager
to return to RMH. Jaden loves the playroom, while Ava
adores volunteer Miss Milly. Michelle comments that her
expectations were far exceeded during her first stay. She
knew there would be a place to lay her head, but not
much more. She did not anticipate the many extras –
homemade food, wonderful volunteers and meal groups
who put so much effort into making family stays more
comfortable. She is delighted to say that she has made
new friends and looks forward to staying in touch.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mark Fowler, founder of Chamber of Hope, passed
away December 2, 2011 after a lengthy illness. He was extremely
passionate about helping families with The Chamber of Hope and his
presence will be missed.
2011
Friends Award
Recipient
Light
A Light
Recap
MetLife
In For Kids
This past year’s holiday campaign
featured local sports celebrity Steven
Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning with
his message encouraging the community
to be IN FOR KIDS. At only 21 years
of age, Steven already recognizes the
impact he is able to make in the Tampa
Bay community. His visits with children
at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital of
Tampa touched his heart, and when he
heard that Ronald McDonald House of
Tampa Bay needed his help, he eagerly
stepped forward, making a significant
gift of $10,000. Steven also made
himself available for several photo
shoots, during which he made friends
with Martina Panaguiton, who stayed at
the Tampa House for several weeks while
her prematurely born brother received
treatment at Tampa General Hospital.
The campaign included television and
radio, billboards, bus wraps, mall kiosks,
McDonald’s trayliners and a mailer to
RMH friends.
This year’s holiday open house was
held at the Tampa RMH, where the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers once again
spread holiday cheer by providing a
delicious feast. Carlo Lovasco serenaded
guests with holiday music, while the
children (and some adults!) took the
opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap to
whisper what they wanted for Christmas.
CEO Janice Davis presented MetLife with
our 2011 Friends Award for their ongoing
support of our program. Judy Keyak and
Carla Saavedra were both honored with
plaques thanking them for their years of
service as members of the RMHC Board
of Trustees.
Thank you to all our donors, friends
and volunteers for being IN FOR KIDS to
raise $123,000 for our families!
CEO Janice Davis with RMHC Board of
Trustees Member John Iwanicki of MetLife
MetLife has been a long-standing
friend and generous donor for twelve
years. Over the years employees have
cooked at the Houses, lent their hands
for special projects, volunteered at
our special events, donated tickets,
toiletries, toys, auction items and
sponsored our Storybook Balls and
Golf Tournaments. Most recently,
MetLife committed a gift of $10,000
for the Tampa House Den Renovation.
MetLife’s long-term commitment to
our mission includes their leadership
by having an employee serve as a
Board of Trustee member, and we are
pleased that John Iwanicki fills this
role extremely well. MetLife and their
employees have a special place in
their hearts for our families. Through
the years they have donated a total of
$87,000 for our House program.
Love Notes • Spring 2012
9
Kids Helping Kids
Young philanthropists are all around us! These
photos show some of the amazing kids who
inspire us with their generosity. Some of
them like Aria Reynolds, the Miller sisters,
Grace Halula, Kyra Knapp and Callista Moss
are using their networking skills to act as
ambassadors for RMH in their community,
getting donations and in-kind items to help our
families. Others are honing their cooking skills
like Alyssa Streicher who makes meals at
the St. Pete House. Sacrificial kids (Madeline
Lechner, Abby and Garrett Toenjes, and Macy
Miacco) donate their carefully-saved money or
ask for donations for RMH instead of getting
birthday gifts. When Bella and Cross Esposito
sold their toys and grapefruits and donated
their hard-earned cash to us, we were very
touched by their homegrown enterprise. Since
10
Love Notes • Spring 2012
Bella is only seven and Cross is five, they
are going to go far in business but with a big
heart.
Why do they give? Lauren Balkaran’s
parents stayed with us when she was at
St. Joseph’s Children’s for heart care
seventeen years ago. Now she requests a
donation each year from the Morris Foundation
to help other families. As Madeline said in
her sweet note, “I hope having moms and
dads stay with their children makes everyone
happier.” There are many other kids who have
supported RMH over the years. Whatever their
reasons, these kids are helping kids and they
are making a huge difference in our ability to
care for RMH families.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR YOUNG
PHILANTHROPISTS!
Clockwise from top
left: Grace Halula,
Benji Harris, Alyssa
Streicher, Devon &
Jordan Miller, Aria
Reynolds, Abby
Toenjes.
How you can help
HOUSE NEEDS
Chicken, beef, ham, hamburgers, hot dogs
Breakfast and lunch meats
Butter/margarine, cream cheese, sliced & shredded cheese
Vegetable oil, salad dressings, mayo
Sugar, sugar substitute, coffee creamer
Individually wrapped snacks: chips, cookies, crackers, puddings, Jell-O, fruit juice
Cereal, Pop Tarts, instant grits, oatmeal
Canned icing
Instant tea, hot cocoa, Kool-Aid, lemonade
Fresh fruit and canned fruit juice
Parmesan cheese
Ketchup and pickles
Chips and crackers
Microwavable meals
Instant pudding and Jell-O
Baby food
Tuna
Chocolate syrup
KITCHEN & CLEANING NEEDS
Stainless steel & plastic forks & spoons
Dish detergent
Paper plates (all sizes) and bowls
Toilet paper
Food service gloves
Ziploc freezer bags (all sizes) and foil
Clorox Disinfectant Wipes
Lysol Disinfectant Spray
Clorox bleach and color-safe bleach
Dryer fabric softener sheets
Powdered and liquid laundry soap
Scotch Brite scour pads w/ sponges
Soft Scrub
MISCELLANEOUS
Twin Aerobed with electric pump
Black permanent markers (all sizes)
Copy paper - white and colored
Postage stamps
Masking tape and duct tape
Clock radios
Port-a-crib sheets
White pillowcases (standard)
White towels (bath, hand, wash)
Light bulbs (60 watt equivalent)
Compact fluorescent bulbs (60 watt eq.)
Xbox games
Wii games (Tampa only)
Electric hand mixer, manual can openers
Griddle (St. Pete only)
$10 gas cards
Gift cards for Home Depot, Wal-Mart
MEALS FOR OUR TIRED FAMILIES
Create a casserole, cook on our grills, fix tacos or
pizzas—any nutritious cuisine for breakfast, lunch
or dinner is appreciated! RMH volunteers can
set up and serve your meal, or you can prepare
and serve the meal yourself and “break bread”
with our families after your “chef” work. Arrange
with a restaurant to deliver a meal, pizza or sub
sandwiches. Send a restaurant or grocery store
gift certificate. Please note that recent changes to
our policies require that meals must be prepared
on-site or originate from a licensed kitchen.
FRUIT & VEGGIES
Provide fresh fruit for a week with a donation of
$60. This provides a quick & nutritious snack for
busy families.
ARTS & CRAFTS SUPPLIES
Fund Arts and Crafts program supplies with a
donation of $50 to $100, or provide us with
supplies for our kids’ masterpieces.
SHARE A NIGHT PROGRAM
Underwrite a family stay. Our actual costs are $65
per night per family & any amount donated helps
with these expenses.
HOLD A PANTRY DRIVE
Collect canned goods, paper products, cleaning
and other household supplies. We’ve got 80
bedrooms, 86 bathrooms and five kitchens!
VOLUNTEER
All four Houses need volunteers for house shifts
to support our “home-away-from-home.” Training is
provided.
Please call:
Lise Fields in St. Petersburg
(727) 767-8166
Maggie Somerville in Tampa
(813) 254-2398, ext. 317
All volunteer opportunities are listed at
www.rmhctampabay.com/volunteers.
Please check our website for updated lists.
Love Notes • Spring 2012
111
1
GOLF 2011 SPONSORS
Title Sponsor
Tampa General Hospital
Platinum Sponsors
CSC
Golden Sponsors
Cargill Inc.
The Coca-Cola Company
DEX Imaging
Golden State Foods
MetLife
Taylor Farms Florida, Inc.
Turano Florida Bun, LLC
23rd Annual
Charity Golf Classic 2011
Our golf classic has become a legend among
McDonald’s owner/operators, vendors and
friends of RMHC. Each year, a sellout crowd
arrives at the beautiful Innisbrook Resort &
Golf Club in Palm Harbor for two enjoyable
days of golf while meeting up with old
friends and acquaintances. Another clear
sunny November day greeted 125 golfers
for lunch and their first round on Friday,
followed by an awards dinner, chance
drawings, live auction and casino night.
Saturday came early for many of our golfers,
who gathered to enjoy breakfast, golf and an
awards luncheon.
This annual event is always a success,
netting just over $100,000 for the operation
of our four Ronald McDonald Houses.
Friday evening’s activities also included a
Texas Holdem Tournament with 12 guests
competing for the top spot. For photo
gallery and a complete list of winners, visit
our website at www.rmhctampabay.com/
events.
12
Love Notes • Spring 2012
This year’s tournament is scheduled for
November 16-17. Watch your mailbox in
August for the brochure!
A new event called the “Weekend
of Exotic Luxuries” co-hosted by the
duPont REGISTRY™ was added this year
in conjunction with our golf tournament,
contributing an additional $4,180 in
proceeds. An estimated 3,000 people
attended this first-ever weekend event that
featured an opening gala dinner and a
special duPont REGISTRY™ Cars & Coffee
event showcasing more than 300 classic,
luxury and exotic cars. Innisbrook’s North
Course provided a spectacular backdrop
as the cars lined the fairways for spectators
to enjoy, including two Daytona 500
championship Richard Petty cars valued in
excess of $20 million. Based on the success
of this year’s event, a second “Weekend of
Exotic Luxuries” is planned for 2012, with
proceeds to benefit Ronald McDonald
Charities of Tampa Bay.
Silver Sponsors
Amerisure Insurance/
Besnard & Assocsiates Insurance
Carlton Fields
Dairy-Mix, Inc.
Florida Travel Saver
Keystone Foods LLC
The Madeira Group at
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
McDonald’s Florida Region
Prestige Packaging/
WhiteHall Products, Inc.
Progress Energy
S&D Coffee, Inc.
Sunway Restaurant Corporation
USA Today
WWWayne
Hole Sponsors
Borden Dairy Company of Florida
Century Products LLC
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Foelgner, Ronz & Straw, P.A.
Martin-Brower Company
Special Sponsors
All Children’s Hospital
Foundation
The Bama Companies, Inc.
Darling International, Inc.
Danee & Mike Kinzel
RTI/Sunway
SunTrust Bank
Tennessee Bun Company
VIP Breakfast Sponsor
Cassidy & Company, LLC
Casino Night
McDonald’s Tampa Bay
Marketing Assoc.
Shirt Sponsor
VF Imagewear
Charity Events
& Fundraisers
Storybook Ball 2012
The Cat in the Hat
Saturday, May 19
A La Carte Event Pavilion
VEHICLE DONATIONS & DRIVER LICENSES
If you’ve been putting off attending
our largest fundraiser of the year, this will
be the one to attend! From things in a box,
music that rocks, and fun that won’t stop –
we promise you will have a fantastic time,
while helping to raise crucial funds to operate our four Ronald
McDonald Houses.
Reserve your table now by calling Janice Davis at
(813) 258-6430, ext. 1 or download the sponsorship booklet
at www.rmhctampabay.com/events.
Since 2009 we have worked with Action Donation Services
to receive donations of cars, boats, trailers and RVs. This
partnership has resulted in more than $40,000 in donations to
date, which provides 600 family nights at the Ronald McDonald
House. If you or someone you know is interested in donating a
vehicle to support our families, please contact us.
ALSO REMEMBER: You can add $1 for RMH when you
purchase or renew your driver license or vehicle tag. In just
one year this program has raised $97,000 for Florida Ronald
McDonald Houses, and $25,000 for RMHC Tampa Bay, so please
help us spread the word!
suncoast classic
Red Shoe Council
Step up for Kids
Young professionals are having a great time while raising
awareness of the RMH mission in Tampa Bay. This group has
their own fundraisers such as the Red Shoe Pub Crawl and
meets periodically for happy hour discussions on how to help
RMH.
Please contact Lauren Sawyer at (813) 258-6430, ext. 4
or email her at [email protected] for more details on the
next meeting.
Calendar 0f
Thank you to Pediatric
Services of Florida for
hosting their 10TH ANNUAL
SUNCOAST CLASSIC RUN
FOR KIDS on February 25 at
BayWalk to benefit RMH.
This is the little race
that could! From its humble
beginnings ten years ago to
the major event it has become, this event gets better every year.
Raising $25,000 each year for operations of our Ronald McDonald
Houses, this event would not happen without our PSF friends and
the many volunteers who help.
Thank you to all of the sponsors, participants and volunteers
who made this year another fantastic event!
Events
March 10 3rd Annual Irish Open
Casey’s Pub, St. Pete
March 21 Mardi Gras Bunco
April 1 Kimal Classic Car Show
Centennial Park, Venice
May 19 Storybook Ball
St. Pete House Operations
September 22 St. Pete Volunteer Luncheon
March 31 Tampa RMH Volunteer Brunch
october 12 fishing for hearts
November 16-17 24th Annual Charity Golf Classic
Love Notes • Spring 2012
13
St. Petersburg House
Happenings
New Tree For St. Pete
Tim Murray (third from left) and crew installed
a new oak tree donated by Kathy’s Korner
Nursery. Murray Tree Service donates tree
services to all our Tampa Bay houses, and
generously took down a diseased oak tree
and put in this replacement. Donated services
like this allow us to focus our resources on
providing an excellent program for our families.
We are very grateful to Murray Tree Service and
ALL of our corporate and individual donors.
A Group Effort
St. Pete is always looking for more storage
room, so when a shed was donated by Home
Depot, a plan came
together. J.W. Daniels
Construction donated the
labor to construct the
shed, while G.A. Porter
Roofing donated the
shingles and installed
them. Shown are
John Daniels & Butch
Fancher of J.W. Daniels
Construction.
14
Love Notes • Spring 2012
McDonald’s Makes More Than Burgers!
RMHC Board of Trustees member Chris Frost
gathered his staff from McDonald’s franchisee
Frost Management Company to host a delicious
dinner for families at the St. Pete East House in
November. Many companies find this activity a
great teambuilding exercise because everyone
gets a chance to tour the house and interact
with families while cooking together.
Gone But Not Forgotten
A special luncheon was held at RMH West for
Lifetime Volunteers to celebrate their years of
service and to give them a chance to reconnect
with one other. These wonderful folks no
longer volunteer but wish to stay in touch with
RMH. Although greatly missed, gatherings like
this help us all stay in touch. Back row: Betty
DeGroot, Joan Hainey, Harold Christiansen, Fran
Stevens, Nancy Christiansen (Harold’s wife).
Front row: Dorothy Cooper, Anne Canning and
Marilyn Stone.
Tampa House
Keeping Things Clean
Happenings
As any homeowner knows, keeping up with
maintenance of a house is very time-consuming
and often expensive. Having FOUR houses to
maintain on a budget is even harder, which is why
donated services like pressure washing, courtesy
of Pro Pressure Clean & Seal of Seminole, are
so greatly appreciated. Jon Chapman (pictured)
spent hours pressure washing the patios, deck and
sidewalks at both St. Pete Houses and the Tampa
House in December.
Team Effort
McDonald’s never forgets about our families.
During a recent co-op meeting held in November,
folks from the corporate offices provided lunch for
our families at the houses on both sides of the bay
on the same day. Now that took some coordination!
Going The Extra Mile
Pam Plager & daughter Sam provided dinner for
families in September. They made a fabulous
presentation of a very tasty meal and intend to
return since they had such a great experience.
Bikers With Big Hearts
For the third year in a row, Anthony Federico
enlisted his pals in the Tampa Bay Desmo Club
(Ducati Owners Club), Euro Cycles of Tampa
Bay, and his employers Bob & Wendy Brickman
(Brickman Management Co. – McDonald’s) to do a
motorcycle run for RMH. He set up a collection site
at Euro Cycles and asked group members to gather
items from our wish list, including DVD players, new
toys, Target and gas cards. They rode as a group
in early December to present the items to House
Manager Betsy Wilkinson. Not content to just
donate goods, Anthony likes to return on another
day to make dinner for the families, bringing along
his family and friends to share in the experience.
Love Notes • Spring 2012
15
Friends Helping Friends
The Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay is a not-for-profit-organization that provides a “home-away-from-home” for families whose
children are undergoing medical treatment at bay-area hospitals. The House relies on the support of individuals and organizations in
the community to provide services to families in need. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals and groups who have
demonstrated their support in many ways. This list represents contributions received from August 1, 2011 through publication date. If we
have erred or omitted anyone, we apologize.
CORPORATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS
& FOUNDATIONS
$53,000
McDonald’s 365 Promotion
$45,000
Dillard’s
$25,000
LEGOLAND Florida
$21,000
International Window Cleaning Association
$18,500
Southwest Airlines Fishing Tournament
$14,000
Kimal Lumber
$13,000
11th Annual Taylor Golf Tournament
$10,000
Hobbs Foundation
$9,500
Tampa Bay Times
$8,800
Travel Media Group
$7,200
Combined Federal & Florida State Campaigns
$5,000 - $5,999
Action Donation Services
FL Chapter Club Managers Assoc. of America
GEICO (St. Pete Central House Caring Heart)
The Tampa Tribune
$4,000 - $4,999
duPont Registry Tampa Bay
PGT Industries (honoring customers & employees)
$3,000 - $3,999
Foresters
RBC Wealth Management
RMH Recycling Partnership
$2,000 - $2,999
New York Yankees Tampa Fdn.
Southwest Airlines Golf Tournament
Sun Coast Osteopathic Fdn.
Unilever United States Fdn.
The Willis Foundation
$1,000 - $1,999
Accuform Angels
Besnard & Associates Insurance
Connie Duglin Linen Rental
Emerson Connectivity Solutions
The Florida Aquarium
Francis & Gertrude Levett Fdn.
GE Aviation Services
Top Kat Enterprises, Inc.
Truist
Wrigley Company
16
Love Notes • Spring 2012
$100 - $999
ACH Guild
Allstate Giving Campaign
Alpha Delta Pi Gamma Gamma Chapter
American Auxiliary Town & Country Memorial Unit 152
American Express Workplace Giving Campaign
Ameriprise Financial Employee Gift Matching Program
Assurant Foundation
Bank of America Charitable Fdn.
Christ United Methodist Women, Lakeland
The Clorox Company
DISYS
Ferris Pools, Inc.
Franklin Templeton Investments Matching Program
The GE Foundation
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Orient Road & Falkenburg Road Jail Facilities
IBM Employee Services Center
Lakeland Ledger
Lockey, Fox, Ledford & Glaum P.A.
Melvin S. Cutler Charitable Fdn.
The Montessori House Day School
Morgan Stanley
The Morris Foundation, Inc.
Painting with a Twist
Progress Energy Employees
PSCU Financial Services
Reality Church Tampa, Inc.
RJI Enterprises
Shore Acres Elementary PTA
St. Pete Breakfast Optimist Club
Storr Office Environments of FL
United Student Aid Funds
Vanguard Payment Systems
Wells Fargo Westshore Store
Wells Fargo W Hillsborough Store
Wells Fargo S Dale Mabry Store
Hernando Beach VFW Post 9236
Hillsborough County Chapter of Paralegal Assoc. of FL, Inc.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Women’s Missionary League
Jackson National Life Insurance
JenSpa
JPMorgan Chase Foundation Matching Gifts
Liberty Mutual Foundation
Loyal Order of Moose New Port Richey Lodge 1747
MissionFish
Mt. Vernon Elementary School Student Council
New Horizons Band
Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
Spring Hill Moose 521
State Employees’ Community Campaign
United Way of the Greater Triangle
VFW Post 8713
Weeki Wachee Eagles Aerie 4272
Wells Fargo Gunn Hwy Store
Wells Fargo S Ashley Store
Wells Fargo S Hyde Park Store
ACH Guild Day Branch
ACH Guild St. Petersburg Branch
ACH Guild North Pinellas/Palm Harbor Branch
Ameriprise Financial Annual Giving Campaign
B. Avery Network
Being, Inc.
Bethel Baptist Church Dorcas Sunday School Class
Brooksville Elks 2582
Brooksville Lodge 1676
Brooksville VFW 8713 & Ladies Auxiliary
Crystal Lake Elementary
Crystal River Moose 2013
Henley Natural Brands
Tiffany Anthony
Julie Armstrong
Rebecca Ballard
Vinny & Carmela Berte
Bob & Patty Bitterli
Scott Bitterli
Elizabeth Boccard
Jamie & Matthew Bowman
Hardy Bryan III
Dr. Terry Buckenheimer
Dan Calabria
Peter Campo
Blake Casper
Douglas Chamberlin
Dennis Chambers
Valerie Claus
Brandy Conley
Up to $99
INDIVIDUALS
$28,000
Beulah Underhill Estate
$10,000 - $10,999
Eleanor M. Beyer Foundation
Emelia M. Labar Trust
$6,500
Michael Bourgeois
$3,000 - $3,999
Jayne & Graham Baxter
Karen Harkey
$2,000 - $2,999
Kellie & Rick Hopkins
Rhonda Llewellyn $1,000 - $1,999
Bala Bellur
Robert & Claudia Sokolowksi
$100 - $999
Evelyn Guerra
Philip Hollinger III
Dusty Jaworski
Teressa Johnson-Pasch
Frederick & J. Elaine Kahler
Amanda Mahoney
Richard & Cresilia Mancinelli
Chris & Kerry Miller
Krishna Naidoo
Kathie Nikodem
Mike Polasky
Ron & Wendy Riley
Conchita Root
Jeff & Carole Schwartz
Charlie & Cheryl Williams
Shirleen Zinn
Up to $99
Jessica Allen
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Beebe
George Bernardich
Mary Rae Blanton
Jack Brady
Howard & Elaine Braun
Sandra & Robert Buckley
Aubrey Carr
Shari Cessna
Cassandra Concas & Family
Loretta Cors
Kathy Couillard
Jean D’Angelo
Daniel & Carmen Debello
Paula DeBlasio
Patricia Ashlyn Dobraski
James Elliott
Lucy Etheredge
Rafael & Marguerite Fernandez
Michael Finfgeld
Thomas Frawley
Latasha Freeman
Donald Freiday
Jeremy Griffin
Karen Harriott
Jean Hartman
Orly Hawley
Ernest & Dorothy Hepler
David Herman
Sarah Hinsz
Coleen Hodsdon
Fernando & Rosita Javate
Amber Johnston
Theresa Lea Kelner
Craig Kilroy
Linda Marron
Andrew McFall IV
David McKinnon, Jr.
Christine Medley
Devon & Jordan Miller
Shannon Murray
Lisa Myers
Sofia Parent
Mason & Marietta Place
Ana Poventud
John & Dalia Rañon
Theresa Ray
Antonio & Dianne Reali
Christina Saccomanno
Luz Sackett
Elizabeth Sanders
Ronald Saper
Michael & Michelle Sawoscinski
James & Martha Scheidell
Carl & Wilma Schupmann
Linda Schweitzer
Erika Senra
Ralph Serpi
Anne Sheldon
Troy Simpson
Beverly Simmons
Cassandra Southern
Lt. Danielle J. Spradlin
Steve Stanford
Dorothy Steele
Pamela Stinson
John Strack
Penny Swainston
Gail & Andrew Titen
Deana Wallace
Yolanda Williams
Melodye Wilson
Russell Wrona
MEMORIALS
Wanda Bilderback
Irving & Betty Baker
Diane Bride
Ruth Hazel
Carole Massarelli
Helen Massarelli
Victoria & Alfred Parisi
Donna Rollison
Christine Sebits
Joseph Casper
Eula Freeman
Ardell Daniels
Lori Verier
Miranda Lynn Ellis
Eileen McCulley
Nathan Fallick
Frank & Mary Ann Comisso
Bob Harris
Katie Guice
Francis Heimburger
Al & Barb Cornelison
Paula Mosiman
Daniel Joseph “D.J.” Hurley
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Hixenbaugh
Marshall Jones V
Debra & James Grinnell
Jessie Guoan
Stanley & Debra Wolever, Jr.
Beth Ann Levy
Dan & Hilda DeRoner
Earl McDaniel
Donald & Miriam MacDonald
Kevin Neenan
Kathy Firman & Bob Dubnule
Pat Owens
Brian Dunn
David Pfefferle
Carolyn Pfefferle
Jim Pimpinella
Bea Pimpinella
Cathy Roumbakis
Fran Carlsen
Eleanor O. Rowley
John & Adrienne Conway
Carol Hamilton Coyne
Albert & Kitty Funk
Robert & Irene Griffith
Nancy Hare
James & Rosemarie McMahon
David & Susan Milligan
Frank & Annette Righter
Robert & Joan Rowley
Roxborough High School Alumni Assoc.
Frank & Jessica Schreader
Larry & Joanna Smyth
Joseph & Janet Szeliga
Elli Ruth
Paul Costa
Austin Shea
Brian Dunn
Aran Singh
Dr. & Mrs. Hardeep Singh
Jeffrey Stevens
Joe & Fran Stevens
Thad Sudol
Lucille Sudol
Christopher Torres
Pedro Torres
Nolan Unger
Dr. Abe & Ruth Goldsher
Edward Hamilton West
Ellie Hunt
Abigail Elaine Woodward
Dick & Fran Adams
Larry & Melba Ainsworth
Bonnie Deaton
Bonnie Denny
Peggy & Gary Edwards
Neil Gawlowski
Gentiva Clearwater Branch
Gentiva St.Petersburg Branch
Cyndy Gilbert
Tom & Shirley Goodman
Kim Lindemann
Jennifer Lucas
Kay & Bob Newman
Mr. & Mrs. E.G. Reynolds, Jr.
Tampa Bay Area Mothers of Multiples
Jerry & Pam Treadwell
Joan Young
Harold L. & Betty Sue Romer
HONORARIUMS
Ava Ruth Boccard
Elizabeth Boccard
Kathy & Bob Hickman
Breanne L. Burns
Bob & Cindy Burns
Adam Byrum
Emilie & Charles Phillips
MacKenzie Chang-Samuels
Jack & Lorene White
Joshua Maverick Cress & Family
Pennye McCormick
Dolores Leal Owens
Nancy Cross’s Birthday
Sally Day
Carolynn Reed
Claudia Sokolowski
Linda & Darrough Diamond’s 70th Birthdays
Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Vallar
Sherry Eggers
Kim & Mike Levin & Family
McKynsie Fitzgerald
Valerie Case
Allan & Barbara Goldman
Andrew Segall
Tally Hall
Kevin & Maggie Hall
Ingrid M. Hooglander, Esq.
John Barker
Jaycee Johnson
Faith Graves/Gay Nineties Gals Group
Cathy Konkler
Adam Nyman
Judith LeVan
Guy LeVan
Life of Riley Foundation
Sam Witzer
Jeanie Morgan
Joseph & Sharon Martineau
Dr. Yi-Hwa Outerbridge & Felix Cannella
Kelly Thompson
Carolynn Reed’s Birthday
Sally Day
Claudia Sokolowski
Beth & Jim Rosenbluth
Marie Fricke
Mark Rosenfeld
Henry & Adrienne Rosenfeld
Gabriella Santoro
Dolores & Joseph Santoro
Daniel Sharf’s Bar Mitzvah
Sue Heyman & Mike White
Andrew & Samuel Stein’s 7th Birthdays
Ira & Fern Stein
Abby Toenjes & Macy Maiocco’s 10th Birthdays
Robert & Cheryl Franks
Jennifer Kleinbart
Christopher & Deniz McClure
Kelly & Anthony Violante
Jan Wallace
Kevin Konkler
RENOVATION CAMPAIGN Tampa RMH Room for Change
$10,000 Bedroom
ALPHA DELTA PI Epsilon Lambda Chapter
Ruth & Fred Lynch
St. Mary’s Episcopal Pioneer Girls
$10,000 Family Den
MetLife Foundation
$10,000 Foyer
Mercantile Adjustment Bureau
Love Notes • Spring 2012
17
$7,500 Dining Room
Lightning Foundation
$5,000 Kitchen Appliances
Ye Royal Krewe of Charlotte de Berry
$5,000 Relaxation AreaDownstairs
Landmark Aviation
$2,500 Ceiling Fans
Richard & Sharon Sanchez Family Foundation Trust
$2,000 Helping Hand
The Martin-Brower Company
2011 Light a Light Share a
Night Donors
$19,000
Tampa General Hospital
$10,000
The Leslie Peter Foundation
Steven Stamkos
$7,500
KBR Foundation, Inc. in memory of Margaret Dole Rust
$5,000
Franklin & Barbara Carson
$3,000
Lloyd & Vivian Perkins, honoring
Aleyda Fowler
$2,000 - $2,999
Burns Family Foundation, honoring Melanie McCarthy
Marlies M. Weaver
The H.O. West Foundation
Robert & Carolyn Sherman
$1,000 - $1,999
Karen Anderson
Michael Bourgeois
Michael & Sharna Epstein
Euclid St. Paul Neighborhood Association
Mary Ann Geric
Eileen Grove
Christine Lebert, honoring
Anthony James Yagelka
Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary
Carole Martin
Timothy & Teresa Martsolf, honoring Chip & Pat Martsolf
Timothy & Teresa Martsolf in memory of Edith & Hal Cheek
Donna Nalls
Carolyn & Steven Roskamp
Seminole Electric Cooperative
Showmen’s Association Charities
Claudia Straw, honoring
Dr. Erle & Scott Austin
Bonnie Biery
Laura Binczak
Victoria Boozer
Jenny Cavender
Richard & Leanna McLaughlin
Chip & Stuart Nimmich
Lora Pope
Dennis & Roxanne Straw
Wade & Elaine Straw
Anton Uselis
$500 - $999
Jane Barton, honoring
Carter Nicholas Gish
Amy & Michael Boccard
Clifford and LaVonne Graese Fdn.
Louise Conley in memory of
Warren E. Conley
CPH Engineers
Brittany Cunningham
Margaret Davis in memory of
Charles M. Davis, Sr.
18
Love Notes • Spring 2012
Kelly Dees, honoring
Hope Dees
Ronald & Susan Diner
Brian Freese in memory of
Beth Barickman
Gorton’s
Craig & Barbara Hubbard
Kenneth Ko, honoring
David Ko
Elizabeth Lawson/State Farm
Annette & Mitchell Martin
Lazaro Mayor
Charles & Barbara McMillen, honoring Victoria Longo
George & Pat Meyer in memory of George & Janet Meyer
Benjamin & Eileen Graceffo
M. Paul & Mabelle Nestor
Hollee Schneiderman
Edith Smith
Dr. & Mrs. Terry Tanner in memory of
Gregory Scott Tanner
Lawrence & Izabella Turner
Mattie Vega
$300 - $499
BBB of West Florida Staff, honoring Karen Nalven
Steven & Susan Brettingen, honoring Chris & Tricia Frost
Jack & DeDe Frost
Jennifer Frost
John & Tracy Frost
Karen Clark
Russ Finlay, honoring
Baby Cooner
Matthew Gish & Michelle Barton, honoring Carter Nicholas Gish
Richard & Lois Hall, honoring
Mr. & Mrs. J. Gray
Mr. & Mrs. R. Hall
Grace Halula
Hands That Can Help, Inc.
Harvey’s 4th Street Grill
Dan & Ann Hayes
John & Shana Helsel
Scott Jones/Shark Fitness
Mercury Medical/Stanley Tangalakis
Kevin & Lori Nissen
Tom Powers in memory of
William P. Powers
Patricia Scott, honoring
Nathan Scott
$100 - $299
Dr. Jean Aertker in memory of
Doug Hitchner
Gary & Carol Alderman
Charles & Barb Amaral in memory of Ernest Amaral
Maria Richardson
Ben & Barb Anjima in memory of
Reid Johnson
Bardmoor Property Owners Assoc.
Elizabeth Barker, honoring
Teddy Schfler
Carmen Barnes in memory of
A.H. Robertson “Bubba”
Mark & Carolyn Biehl, honoring
Zachary Sharek
Kevin & Sandra Billingsley
Barbara Birmingham in memory of Veronica Fenter
Edna Bloom in memory of
Carol A. Bloom
Ed Bolka, honoring
Janice Davis
Juliene Bollaert
Bonham Dental Arts
Tom Broccolo
Melissa Bryant
Gregoria Camacho in memory of
Miguelina Fernandez
Thomas D. Casper
Checkpoint Technologies, Inc.
Jeannie Clark, honoring
Hope Katherine Dees
Edward Clissold
Michael & Sharon Cobb
Robert E. Copes III in memory of
Kaitlyn Ebberup
Cornerstone Christian Center School
Loraine & Steve Cors, honoring
Cors & Smith Families
Theresa Coryn & Daniel Muñoz in memory of
Tomás Muñoz Coryn
Bruce & Jerri Crawford in memory of Daniel D. Crawford
Jill Cusmano in memory of
Sheila Savage
D. Clarice Daly, honoring
Brett & Jordan Daly
Anne Dawson
Daniel & Carmen DeBello
Damon Dennis
Michael W. Dobbins
Elmyra Dorn in memory of
Roger Dorn
eMason
Karen & James Estel
Keith & Elizabeth Fendrick
Ed & Jill Fitzgerald
Florida Assoc. of Health Plans
Sharon Fourakre
Donna Franklyn, honoring
Shanae Franklyn
Steven & Helen Friedman
Bonnie Gabrielson, honoring
Jerry & Cindy LaFond
Wendy Galvis
Margaret Gamero, honoring
Bill & Lorette Wambach
Ken & Hope Gibb
John & Emma Gifford in memory of James Gifford
Eric Gill in memory of
Alice Hatch & Ronald Brown
Donald & Dorothy Gish, honoring
Carter Nicholas Gish
V. Yoshiko Goodman, honoring
Jamie Quirke
Charles A. Graham, honoring
Carole Palka
Graphix Solutions
Group 19 Car Club
Oscar Guinart, honoring
David Guinart
William Hand
Nancy Hare in memory of
Kate & Ellie Flahart
David Hare
Eleanor Rowley
Roy & Alicia Hibbs
Andy & Jamie Hogue
Terry Holinsky, honoring
his Children & Grandchildren
Carolyn & Lloyd Horton
Pat & Karen Howell in memory of
Johnny Howell
Mark Travis
Michael Huang
Matt Hudson
Ellie Hunt in memory of
Lorena Hunt
Indian Lake Estates Garden Club
John & Ann Iwanicki
Kenneth & Tonya Johnson, honoring Kendra D. Johnson
Steve & Karen Jones
Thomas M. Joseph in memory of
Thomas M. Joseph, Jr.
Beverly Kariotakis
Judy Keyak in memory of
Joseph Keyak
Alan Kieffer
Kenneth & Judy Kramer, honoring
Conrad J. Fisher IV
Let’s Just Ride Motorcycle Toy Run
Jason Lisiak
Robert Lydzinski
Melissa Martins
Evelyn McArthur
Jeffrey McCartney
Bob McConnell
Janet Goldberg McEnery, honoring
Gray Geylon
Jon Hammond
Mark Misner & Family
Karen Sack
H. Joseph Springer
Daniel Zimmerman
Geraldine Morgan-Benjamin
Chuck Nero, honoring
Noah Nero
Beverly Neuhann
Thanh Nguyen
Kay Orribile, honoring
Pasquale Jacob Orribile
P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter Q in memory of Robert Hillman
Dave & Dana Peterman, honoring
Lindsay Peterman
Dave & Tina Peters, honoring
Maddie Price
John & Robin Philips
Emilie & Charles Phillips, honoring Adam Byrum
Mike Powers
J. Crayton & Johanna Pruitt
Charles Raffo
Paul Randolph, honoring
Seneca Randolph
Julie Renderos, honoring
Linda Darling
Aria Reynolds
Rho Omega
Walter Rice
Pat Riggs, honoring
PICU Staff at TGH &
St. Joseph’s Children’s
James Roberts
Robert & Andrea Roche in memory of
Patrick Michael Roche
Angel Rosa, honoring
Matthew Rivera
Luz Rosa, honoring
Matthew Rivera
Sanford-Brown Institute Tampa
Diane Scharf, Laurie Kelly & Gary Scharf, honoring
William Scharf’s 80th Birthday
Lisa Schwartz in memory of
Kimberly Elkin
Cathy Shadwick/State Farm
Ann & Charles Shelton
Dr. & Mrs. Hardeep Singh in memory of Aran Singh
Anthony & Carol Skey
Christopher Smith, honoring
Devon Smith
Ryon Smith, honoring
Gary & Shirlee Smith
Cyrus & Joanne Spurlino
St. Ignatius of Antioch Church Women’s Council
John & Susan Stafford, honoring
Bryan Stafford, Jr.
T.C. Stanmore
Carol Steck
Eddie Stocking, honoring
Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Brown
Tampa Bay Desmo
Derek & Betty Tatlock, honoring
Beth & Tim Snyder
Samuel & Irene Thompson, honoring
Aiden Rae Thompson
Noel Torres
Geraldine Tosca in memory of
C.J. Tosca
David & Sandra Tottle
Vox Printing
Steve Wallace in memory of
Heather Mairn
Rebecca Ward
M. Burrage Warner
Jayne & Ronnie Weissman
Alice Wilson in memory of
Wanda Bilderback
Douglas & Lucinda Zahm
John & Mary Zero in memory of
Kevin McCarthy
Up to $99
Accounting & Financial Solutions
Kris Ackerman in memory of
Lauren Nicole O’Hara
Anthony Adams
Carl Adams, honoring
Jarred Pitts
Gerard & Alice Affatato, honoring
Karen Affatato
Alexander & Christine Alexander
Louis Altadonna in memory of
Florence Altadonna
Agnes Amore, honoring
Kristopher C. Amore
Barbara Anglin
Natasha Babbitt & Zach Grogan
Ann Miller Baker
Rebecca Ballard
Robby Bateman
Christopher Bauer
Ellen & Ken Beebe
Gayle & Bernhard Benet
Pat Berkey in memory of
Johnny U. Berkey
Bethel Baptist Church Dorcas Sunday School Class
Linda & Don Bires
Pat Blair, honoring
Joanne Frost
Harriett Blymiller, honoring
Owen Jablonski
Marleen & August Bonaventura
Michael Bonema
Mary Bottoms
Linda Bowman & Irma, honoring
Debbie, Jon & Mason Shook
Ashley Bracken, honoring
Ella’s 4th Birthday
Ronald & Sharon Brady, honoring
Harper Jaylynn Potter
Roger Branton, honoring
Drew Branton
William & Lori Brazis & Family in memory of Molly Ammon
Brooksville Lodge No. 1676
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Brown, honoring Riley Jeanne Brown
Vickie Bryan, honoring
Preston Bryan
Hardy Bryan III
Timothy Buwalda
Kathleen Canada, honoring
Ryan McConnaghy
Peter & Cindy Card, honoring
Peter John Card
Eduardo Cardenas
Julie Carpenter
Richard Carter
John Chattin
Jennifer Chester
William Clary
Helen Claxton, honoring
Kayla James
Marv & Paulette Coble, honoring
Marion & Rich Unterweger
Michael Coburn in memory of
Michael Oliver Hendricks
Roxanne Cook
Dorothy Cornell, honoring
Nathaniel Cornell
Loretta Cors
Donald & Patricia Coughlin
Emily & Jeffrey Cox
Curves – Pinellas Park
Wendy & Sean Dahlquist, honoring Keeli Dahlquist
Paul Daniel
Lee & Carol Davis
Julia Dawson
Nancy Denenberg & Steve Osder, honoring Colby Otovic,
Drew Otovic
DeOliveira Family
Jane DeRome
Mrs. Vincent DeSalvo
Lynne Deto, honoring
Brooke Noser
Gino & Luciana DiClemente
Jill & Bob Dietrich, honoring
Vincent J. Dietrich
Dale Dion
Pamela Donahue, honoring
Carolyn Hopper
William & Jeanne Dosmann
Craig Duncan/State Farm
Brian Dunn in memory of
Luba Bespalko
Brian Dunn, honoring
Drs. Hautamaki & Horiuchi & Staff
Edward Dye
William & Elvira Elizer
Crystal Engelhard, honoring
Amber Lynne Engelhart
Candice Ermer
Bella & Cross Esposito
Lucy Etheredge
Robert Eubanks
Ricky & Wendy Fallin, honoring
Candice Fallin Hernandez
Michael & Lisa Famiglietti, honoring Sarah Famiglietti
Lynne & Floyd Fellows in memory of Donna Fellows
Cindy Fenyk, honoring
John & Dianne Fenyk
Rafael & Marguerite Fernandez
Wendy Fiero
Tom & June Fillion, honoring
The Fillion Family
Rick & Kristin Flahart in memory of Kate & Ellie Flahart
Eleanor Rowley
Kim & Stephen French in memory
of Benjamin Casper
John Furst
Maggie Galbraith, honoring
Grant Vertin
Carl Gedmin
Philip & Laurie Gianatasio
E.C. & Rossie Godfrey
Margaret Goz
Linda Gowen
John & Beverly Granath, honoring
J.P. Granath
Roger Green
Kendra Greseth
Patricia Grier in memory of
Grier Justin Inmon
Leighann Gross
Betty Guile
Gulfview Civic Association
Mark Haas
Jonathan & Kristina Gunter in memory of Al Schaefer
Ted Haengel
Maggie & Kevin Hall, honoring
Tally Hall
Gerard Hannon
Barb & Hans Hauri, honoring
“Bob” Ryan McConnaghy
Nathan Heathcock
Ricky & Mary Helms
William & Nancy Hewett, honoring Keith & Bette Wright
L.P. & Victoria Hineman
Laura Hitner
Barbara Hjelmaa
Kim Hothersall in memory of
Christopher DuBois
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Hunsader, honoring Joey Baar
Tammy & Lee Huston
Marilyn Jedrey
Dawn Johnson, honoring
The Bug Eraser, Jeffrey Termeer
Lori Johnson
George Johnstone
Gilbert & Beverly Jones
Naomi Kassis
Linda Keever
James Kennady
Braden King
Robert & Janet Kipp, honoring
Kimberlyn Butterbaugh
Kyra Knapp
Julie Krisanda, honoring
James & Susan Jones
Allen & Linda Krzywkowski, honoring Caleb Krzywkowski
Bev Kuerner, honoring
Abbey Kuerner
William & M. Crista Kumbera
John LaFace
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Laramie in memory of
MacKenzie Linda Paquet
John & Trish Lawson
Judy Lawson
Madeline Lechner
Ryan Leto in memory of
Daniel Byrnes
Howard Lewinter
Brian Limberg
Gretchen Losey
Stephanie Lott
Sheryl Lucas
Javier Lugo
Debby Lynch
Susan Mahle, honoring
Robert (Bob) Cvetic
Love Notes • Spring 2012
19
Sharon C. Maniscalco in memory of Armondo J. Maniscalco
Joseph Marfuggi, honoring
Mary & Jim Dahmer
Cynthia Marinelli in memory of
Josephine Villagio
Stuart & Lori Markman
Mary Marois in memory of
Liz Burns
Dorothy Marston, honoring
Lee & Suzann Parrish
Karen Martin in memory of
Denny Fisher
Joe Martineau, honoring
Jeanie Morgan
Dan Martucci in memory of
James Martucci
Mary Bryant Elementary
James McDaniel
Jodi McKinney, honoring
Aden McKinney
Sean & Kim McLernon in memory of Christopher Kirlin
A. McSwain & K. Rohrer, honoring
Bennett McSwain-Rohrer
Patty Merek
David & Drema Mereness
Mark Michael, honoring
Nicholas Michael
Dorothy Miller in memory of
Harold C. Miller
Jinny & Ron Miller, honoring
McLain Miller
Linda Miller
Jacquelyn H. Moore
Jeff & Julie Moore, honoring
Dana L. Guest
Jackie Morgan
Tonja & Henry Mosley, honoring
Tyra Brooke Mosley
Susan Mullins
Patricia Mulryan, honoring
Daniel Black
May Mungen
Linda Murphy
Peter & Janis Murray
Susan Myers, honoring
Gregory T. Walters
Peter & Patricia Natiello in memory of Kathleen &
Henry Apel
Arthur & Elizabeth Neri
M.D. Newland
Petra Niedermair
20
Love Notes • Spring 2012
Robert J. Nimits in memory of
Joseph Casper
Dorothy Norton
Thomas Nott
Trudy Novak
Dee & Jack Novoselski
Paul & Mary Nystrom, honoring
Nathan & Jacob Grandusky
Laura O’Donnell
Optimist Club of Dunedin, honoring
Nathan & Jacob Grandusky
Teresa & Robert Owen
Pat Owens, honoring
Sierra Robertson
Fernando Palacios
Robin Pandolfi in memory of
Joseph Casper
Dan Paone
Richard & Karen Paquette, honoring
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Paquette
Teressa Pasch
John & Gail Paulk
Ken & Jane Pawlowski
Rowena Perez-DiMaio, honoring
Danielle Marie DiMaio
Jeanne & Harold Perry, honoring
Zoe Knowles
Brenda Pesce, honoring
Aiden Rae Thompson
Luke & Lynnette Peterschmidt
Courtney & Chuck Peterson, honoring
Franklin Bost & Janet Cook
Norman Petrik
Dr. & Mrs. J. Wayne Phillips in memory of
Tomás Muñoz Coryn
Jaime Pici
Steve Poborka
Lora Pope, honoring
Michael & Claudia Straw
Cheryl Powers
Irene Provost, honoring
Daniel & Alexander Provost
Chandra Rahim
Mr. & Mrs. George Ralston in memory of Jonathan Ralston
Alan Ray & Jane Benjamin, honoring Theresa Ray
Theresa Ray
Bobby & JoAnn Reese, honoring
Cameron Bellotte
Isaac Bellotte
Ethan Leaming
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Renda in memory of Aaron Craig
Nicole Richmond
Rosa Rico
Barbara Riley in memory of
Wanda Bilderback
Ritchie Ritchison
Karen Ritter, honoring
Mikaela Gaskin
Barbara Rizzo in memory of
Flora & Earl Manheimer
Jon Roberts
Sandy Robertson, honoring
Sierra Robertson
Kurt & Jill Rodriguez
Dorris & Roger in memory of
Wanda Bilderback
Robert Roll
Laura Roorda
Adrienne Rosenfeld, honoring
Marc Morris Rosenfeld
Molly Royal
Robert Rupp
Paula Russo, honoring
Charlotte Macy Russo
Roger & Bay Russell
Christian Ruvalcaba
Celeste Salanitri in memory of
Richard Salanitri
Rodrigo Sanchez
John & Sara Schifino
Joseph & Diane Schillace, honoring Jonathan Schillace
Natalie Schmidt, honoring
Trevor Schmidt
Amber Scott
France Seale in memory of
Jay Seale
Dave Sheffield
Robert & Amy Sigmon, honoring
Kelly Elizabeth Sigmon
Ronel & Mylene Sigua
Betty Simonetti
Gregory & Michelle Smith
Karen Smith, honoring
Kristin & Stephen Woodward
Paula M. Smith in memory of
Patsy McHugh
Shirley A. Smith, honoring
Amanda Olivarez
Klair & Roy Snellbaker in memory
of Erin Michelle Mobley
Spirit in Mind, LLC
St. Ignatius Catholic Church
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Steele
William Steuernagel
Donald & Nancy Suleski
Michael & Judy Sullivan
Kathryn Surprenant
Michael & Claudia Straw in memory of Jackie King
Alice & Jim Talbert, honoring
Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Krischer
Ed & Julie Tammany
Mauro Tavarone
Lisa Teblum
Tim & Joan Temerson
Ann Thibault
Dr. & Mrs. Stanislav Timofeev
Dorothy Tolbert, honoring
Hayden Jean & Hannah Joy
Angela Tomlinson
Bonnie & Steve Traiman
David & Kimberly Twiddy, honoring
David Allen Twiddy III
John & Sarah Tyrrell
Julia Vance
Peter Vercillo, Jr.
Lori Verier in memory of
Rick Westover
Earl Vizza
Matthew & Tammy Wagenblast
Michael Walker
Ron & Barbara Watson, honoring
Chris Watson & Family
Sarah Woods Wells
Heather & Bruce Whalen, honoring Michael Heimsath
Richard Whelan
Jean Wiedemann
Stan & Patricia Williams
Barbara Wittick, honoring
Betty & Buddy Boudreaux
Brooks & Roy Workman in memory of
Tomás Muñoz Coryn
Catherine Wos, honoring
Dr. Hugo Scavino
Patt Wuchter in memory of
Jordan Alexander Bruck
B.G. Zdziarski
Families First
A Courageous Little Princess
Spreading smiles wherever she goes
Three year old Callie Anderson
loves to walk the halls of All
Children’s Hospital in her
Tinkerbell
and
Cinderella
costumes. She waves her wand
at the doctors and nurses to
help them care for all the sick
children.
Callie is a cancer
patient who has received
recurring treatment at ACH
for Juvenile Myelomonocytic
Leukemia (JMML), a very rare
and serious chronic leukemia.
Callie has struggled to stay
healthy since her first birthday. In the last two years, she
has caught every cold and flu bug that came her way, even
battling pneumonia, while her older two siblings remained
healthy. Doctor visits did not help, and her parents, Roger
and Linda, chalked up the frequent illnesses to a weak
immune system.
In April 2011, Callie had a low grade fever. She was
very tired and pale, complaining that her tummy hurt.
When her fever spiked to 103, her parents drove her from
their home in Melbourne, FL to the emergency room
at Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando. It was then that
blood tests revealed the JMML—finally an explanation for
Callie’s recurrent illnesses. Doctors in Orlando assured the
Andersons that this is a very difficult cancer to diagnose,
so finding it this early was a good sign.
The only successful treatment for JMML is a bone
marrow transplant, often accompanied by radiation and
chemotherapy, with about a 50% survival rate. Since
radiation and chemotherapy only
attack active leukemia cells, the
spleen may also be removed as it
can harbor dormant JMML cells
that can later lead to relapse.
Callie was given a high dose of
chemotherapy, followed shortly
thereafter by the splenectomy.
This was a critical time for Callie
and an extremely difficult time
for her parents. The Andersons
gathered all the hope they could
muster.
After the operation,
more than one doctor told the
family that she might not make it. Each day, they felt like
they were watching their little girl slip away as she lay in
ICU. Four weeks passed with Callie on a ventilator, and
she was getting thinner every day. Finally the tube was
removed and Callie began physical therapy to re-learn
how to walk.
In August, a bone marrow match for Callie was located,
and the Andersons travelled to All Children’s Hospital to
prepare for a September transplant. By this time, neither
Callie nor Linda had been home with their family in
Melbourne for more than two weeks at a time since April.
Linda stayed at the St. Pete East House before the surgery
and at the St. Pete West House for recuperation. Finally,
Linda rented a condo nearby so she could make a home
for Callie during their lengthy stay in St. Pete.
Linda says that Callie is a very positive child, although
she is sad at times. Since Callie is only three years old,
there’s a lot she doesn’t understand but has found age-
Callie Anderson
Love Notes • Spring 2012
21
appropriate words – like calling her fluid bag a “water
baby”. She has also managed to capture the hearts of the
medical staff with her spirit and bright personality. Callie
has developed into a talkative and energetic little lady, and
all the doctors and nurses comment on how smart she is.
“Callie is a trooper,” Linda says.
Callie seemed to improve after the transplant, and was
able to enjoy spending time with her mom at the condo
watching movies and playing games. Her older siblings,
Coleman and Caitlin, came with Roger every possible
weekend. Callie required regular visits to the hospital for
support therapy, so staying in St. Pete was necessary. Just
after Thanksgiving, however, tests revealed that Callie’s
cancer had returned and more chemo was required.
This difficult news was hard to digest, since the only
option is a second bone marrow transplant, which carries
just a 30% success rate. Like any parents with a sick child,
the Andersons questioned why this has happened to their
beautiful daughter – their princess. “Perhaps she is meant
to help others, as she has done in her own way at the
hospital with her fairy dust,” muses Linda. Their faith and
support network is strong, helping them through these
difficult times. “We are thankful that RMH has been our
home-away-from-home during our stays in Orlando and St.
Pete,” Linda comments, “everyone is so kind and helpful.”
Callie and Linda returned home to Melbourne to
22
Love Notes • Spring 2012
celebrate the holidays before Callie started a new round
of T-cell treatments to prepare her for the next transplant.
The Andersons needed some family time. Linda hoped
they could stay in Melbourne most of the time, travelling
to St. Pete every other week for follow-ups, and Orlando
for treatments. Reflecting back on the past year, Roger
comments, “We have been amazed at Callie’s resilience,
grace and love throughout this process. We have
been blessed to have family, friends, and kind-hearted
individuals be a part of our lives during these times.”
In early January, Callie and Linda drove to Atlanta so
Callie could take part in a clinical drug trial at Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. The drug seemed
to help keep Callie’s white blood count under control
until the end of the trial, when her counts began to
spike. Now back in Orlando at Arnold Palmer Hospital,
Callie is battling the Epstein-Barr virus, which she caught
somewhere during her travels. Linda comments, “All we
want now is for Callie to get well enough to come home so
we can prepare her for the next bone marrow transplant
in early April. The next few months will be hard on the
Anderson family, as Callie undergoes more chemotherapy
and radiation.
Through this incredible journey, Linda’s faith
remains strong and she hopes her experiences will benefit
others.
Raising FUNDS for Ronald McDonald House
It was a wonderful year for check presentations! They
say it takes a village to raise a child - in our case it
takes a village to care for children and their families.
Thank you to all our donors who used their time,
treasure and talents to raise funds for the operations
of Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay.
each to Janice Davis and Taylor Traviesa of All
Children’s Hospital. Each year, Kimal Lumber’s
Building to a Cure hosts a Classic Car Show and Golf
Tournament to raise funds for both organizations. Now
in their 11th annual fundraising year, this amazing
group of folks has raised $416,334 for ACH & RMH!
DILLARD’S International Plaza Store Manager Gary
Platt presented a check for $45,226.48 to CEO
Janice Davis as proceeds from the sale of Southern
Living Cookbooks during the holiday season in their
stores.
GEICO’s Regional VP George Rogers, employee Kelly
Rohrer and the GEICO gecko presented Janice Davis
with a check for $5,000 to underwrite a Caring Heart
at the Central House.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES employees Brian Sloan, (Tampa
Maintenance Manager) and Alan Brown presented a
check to Donor Relations Manager Joo Hooi Albritton
in the amount of $18,500 from their 2011 Southwest
Airlines Fishing Tournament.
KIMAL LUMBER’S VP Kim Pavkovich and President Al
Bavry presented checks in the amount of $14,376.72
COMMUNITY/McDONALD’S THANK YOU The change you
place in the coin boxes at McDonald’s restaurants is
making a BIG DIFFERENCE to kids and their families.
In 2011, your change throughout our 11-county
area raised $423,624.75 for RMH. Thank you to
McDonald’s owner/operators and all of you who
donated your extra change to support families at “The
House that Love Built.®”
Love Notes • Spring 2012
23
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
TAMPA FL
PERMIT NO. 3023
28 Columbia Drive
Tampa, FL 33606
3
Attention!
WAYS TO DONATE
• Go online - www.rmhctampabay.com
• Call us - we’d love to talk to you! (813) 258-6430
• Clip it - send it to Ronald McDonald House Charities, 28 Columbia Drive, Tampa, FL 33606
Enclosed is my gift of q$1,000 q$500 q$100 q$65 q Other
Name: Address: Telephone: Email*:
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Name on card:
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As a cost savings measure, we have eliminated the inserted donor envelope and hope you will find it easy to donate in
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Please make checks payable to Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay. Contributions are tax deductible.
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RMH East
401 7th Avenue S.
St. Pete 33701
(727) 821-8961
RMH West
Our Houses
702 8th Avenue S.
St. Pete 33701
(727) 821-8961
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601 5th Street S.
St. Pete 33701
(727) 821-8961
Board Members,
Volunteers & Family
Members Past &
Present: we would love
to hear your thoughts
on your experience at
the Tampa RMH for
inclusion in their 20th
Anniversary celebration.
Please email Betsy
Wilkinson at bwrmh@
tampabay.rr.com.
RMH Tampa
35 Columbia Dr.
Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 254-2398
Ronald McDonald House Charities® Tampa Bay Administrative Office, 28 Columbia Drive, Tampa, FL 33606 (813) 258-6430