CONTACT:
Ashley Bright
McNeely Pigott & Fox
abright@mpf.com
(615) 259-4000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2011
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF NASHVILLE
CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville is celebrating two
decades of caring for kids and their families during 20th birthday-related festivities in July.
Activities include a volunteer recognition and awards reception to mark the occasion, a street
carnival for friends and current and past families who have stayed at the House, and a
celebratory fundraising campaign.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville provides a place to stay for families of critically
ill children while they are receiving medical treatment in Nashville-area hospitals.
The 20th birthday celebration events will begin on Thursday, July 14, with a volunteer
recognition and awards reception at the Vanderbilt University Student Life Center for supporters,
board members and volunteers. The evening will also include recognition of volunteers who
have provided 20 years of service. Four supporters will receive the Building Block Award for
substantial volunteerism and ongoing support of helping fulfill the mission of the Ronald
McDonald House. Those supporters are Barbara Speller, Tommy Wilson, Frank Chalfont and
WKRN – Nashville’s News 2.
Festivities continue on Saturday, July 16, with a street carnival for RMHC guest families,
supporters, neighbors and friends outside the Ronald McDonald House. The carnival will feature
family-friendly fun in the spirit of keeping families close from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. There will be
inflatables, games and age-appropriate activities for children. During the birthday celebration,
there will be hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, chips and birthday cake.
Neil Orne from Nashville’s News 2 will emcee the programs at the volunteer recognition and
awards reception on July 14 and the carnival on July 16.
Leading up to and throughout the 20th birthday celebrations, friends, supporters and Nashville
neighbors are invited to give Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville a birthday gift of
$20. The effort encourages donors to make an easy and relevant gift, commemorating the Ronald
McDonald House’s two decades of service and helping the charity to further its mission. Visiting
the Ronald McDonald House online at http://www.rmhcnashville.com/20thbirthday/ is the
easiest way to learn more and help celebrate with a donation. Donors can also call (615) 3434000 or mail checks directly to:
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville
2144 Fairfax Avenue
Nashville, TN 37212
“The generosity that the Nashville community has shown the Ronald McDonald House over the
last 20 years is overwhelming. Thousands of families have been helped in their time of need
thanks to the many supporting organizations that have made this 20-year milestone possible,”
RMHC of Nashville Executive Director Liz Piercy said.
Over the years, the nonprofit has experienced an increased need for families of critically ill
children. More than 11,300 families have stayed at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House since
it was built in 1991. While families are asked to contribute $15 per night, most are unable to do
so and no family is turned away due to inability to pay. Ronald McDonald House Charities of
Nashville provides a way for each and every family to remain together during the difficult times
of treatment for young ones.
“The Nashville community has rallied around the Ronald McDonald House from the beginning
and made this 20th birthday celebration possible. The community’s support is essential to the
Ronald McDonald House mission,” RMHC of Nashville Board President Mendy Mazzo said.
About the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville:
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville is to “keep families close” by
providing essential resources and a “home away from home” for families of critically ill children
receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville-area hospitals. In 2010, the House
served more than 351 families. Since opening in 1991, the House has served more than 11,300
families from all 95 counties in Tennessee, 65 counties in Kentucky, 39 other states and 12
foreign countries.
In 2004, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville opened Nashville’s first Ronald
McDonald Family Room, on the fifth floor at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at
Vanderbilt. An extension of the House, the Family Room is a place where families and friends of
seriously ill children can enjoy a quiet respite from corridors and waiting rooms, whether or not
they’re staying at the Ronald McDonald House. The Family Room includes a comfortable
seating area, a kitchen stocked with snacks, a children’s play area, a half-bath and the support of
caring volunteers. The Family Room has garnered a huge response, accommodating more than
190,000 visitors since its opening, and averages 3,500 visitors a month.
Additional information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville and the 20th
anniversary donation celebration is available online at www.rmhcnashville.com.
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