Knudsen Family 23 Nights
OCTOBER 2018
From Our House to Yours RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY NEWSLETTER
of the Red River Valley
“Staying at the house was truly a blessing for my family. I believe our girls did so well because I found a place that helped me relax and get the rest and strength I needed to care for them. We tell people whenever we can about our experience with the Ronald McDonald House and all they did for us.” Darcie and Clint Knudsen’s family nearly
In addition to worrying about their baby
in the cozy kitchen and wash laundry
doubled with the birth of their twin girls
girls, Darcie had to figure out where she
as needed. There was a playroom and
Hannah and Brooke. Hannah and Brooke
was going to stay while the girls were
games to help keep her 13 year old busy.
in the hospital, which could be up to 6
Volunteers did the cooking, so there were
were born 6 weeks early and a little over 4 lbs each. Darcie had been doctoring in Jamestown, ND until two days prior to giving birth when she was sent by ambulance to Fargo to be put on bed rest until her baby girls were born. Her husband Clint was getting ready to head back to work when their little girls arrived. Hannah and Brooke were taken to the NICU and would have to stay until they were eating well on their own, gaining weight, and could maintain their own body temperature.
Continued on page 2
weeks. Clint called the Ronald McDonald
delicious, home-cooked meals to eat
House and in a very short time, they had a place to stay. Darcie arrived at the House and was surprised that not only did she have a place to sleep, but had all the comforts of being at home. She could cook
of the Red River Va
Continued from pg. 1
Knudsen Family when coming back to the house hungry
up in the air. I felt like I had friends looking
late at night. Darcie also found little gifts
out for me.”
at her door from time to time, lifting her spirits during the difficult time.
Darcie gained strength from the support of the Ronald McDonald House and being
“When I think of the Ronald McDonald
around other families with loved ones in
house, I think comfort and safety. Clint had
the hospital by being able to exchange
to go back home to work and I spent most
stories, offer each other support, and
of the time alone. It meant a lot for me to
reassure one another that things would
have a place I truly felt comfortable and
be okay.
safe when the rest of my life seemed so
A Note from Jill Christopher Executive Director
Each time I sit down to write this column, I seem to have a hard time getting my thoughts together. You might think it’s because I can’t come up with anything to say, but rather, it’s the opposite. How do I get an entire summer’s worth of thoughts down to just a few sentences? There is so much I want to tell you about, as we could not do this without the support, donations, and love we get from our RMHC family. As I write this, we are now four months in our BRAND NEW Ronald McDonald House and what an amazing four months it has been. This summer, we have been able to serve more families than ever before and it is a wonderful feeling. Over 750 donors contributed/ pledged to the capital campaign to fund and build our new Ronald McDonald House as well as countless volunteer hours to ensure it was perfect for the families we serve. It has been quite a journey to make this dream a reality and I am very excited to let you know that, along with our gracious donors that have pledged to our new house, we received an incredibly generous donation of $322,484 to round out our capital campaign goal of $5 million dollars! We are so grateful to our community of donors, volunteers and cheerleaders! As we look ahead, our work is not done. There is much more in store for RMHC of the Red River Valley, including the launch of our newest project – the Family Room at Essentia Health. Be watching soon for more information on this project and how you can help us continue our mission of #keepingfamiliesclose. With a heart full of gratefulness,
Jill R. Christopher Executive Director
Giving Opportunities Amazon Smile Anytime you shop on Amazon, you can support RMHC! Go to Amazon Smile at www.smile.amazon.com and select “Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley” as the charity to support as you order.
Endowment Giving The state of North Dakota has a wonderful giving opportunity for individuals and businesses that would like to give to non-profits. Businesses (C corporations, S corporations, estates, limited liability companies, trusts and financial institutions) that pay state income tax may receive a 40% credit up to a maximum credit of $10,000 for contributions to a qualified N.D. endowment. Individuals may receive a state tax credit for a contribution of $5,000 or more (lump sum or aggregate in one year) to a qualified N.D. endowment. The tax credit is 40% of the charitable deduction allowed by the IRS up to a maximum credit of $10,000 per year per taxpayer or $20,000 per year per couple filing jointly. To find out more about the tax credit or other giving opportunities, please contact Jill Christopher at 701-232-3980, or by email at jill@rmhcfargo.org.
Vehicle Donation Program Do you have an old car, truck, RV, or boat that you’ve been meaning to get rid of? Whether your vehicle is a late model sedan, classic convertible, an unfinished project car, or an old clunker gathering dust in the driveway, it can turn into a valuable donation for the Ronald McDonald House. All types of vehicle donations are accepted. This includes autos, trucks, sport utilities, motorcycles, motorhomes, boats, farm equipment, and construction equipment. Visit www.carshelp.org for more information or questions. Your vehicle will be picked up, and a hefty tax deduction will roll your way!
Since the beginning of 2018...
189
69
FAMILIES SERVED
FAMILIES HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY DUE TO LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS AT OUR PREVIOUS LOCATIONS OR LACK OF SPACE
81% OF FAMILIES UNABLE TO FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR STAY. THIS IS WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT! YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR FAMILIES TO STAY AT RMHC AT LITTLE TO NO COST.
Revving and Rocking 17th Annual RMH Ride It was a celebration like no other for the 17th annual Ronald McDonald House motorcycle ride. A volunteer committee works year round to make sure this event is a wonderful success, and for the 17th event, the committee really blew it out of the water! With a full campground, impressive live and silent auctions, a motorcycle raffle, and live bands including Jasmine Cain, the weekend was full of fun, so much heart, and tons of pop tabs for RMHC. Hundreds of motorcycles hit the road at noon from New York Mills, MN and traveled to Henning for a pitstop. The group even participated in a hot dog challenge: participants were challenged to eat 1,000 hot dogs and were asked for free will donations. $4,000 was raised to go towards RMHC! With another stop at Clitherall, the participants ended their scenic trip back at the VFW in New York Mills for delicious food and fun. We couldn’t be more grateful to the hundreds of participants, countless volunteers, and fabulous board and committee who raised a gross total of nearly $125,000! Next year’s event is slated to be another great celebration June 8th, 2019 – you won’t want to miss it!
Mark your calendars: June 7th – 9th, 2019!
If you made a Capital Campaign gift and it was omitted, misspelled, or listed incorrectly, please accept our sincere apology and notify our Development Director, Erica, 701-232-3980 or erica@rmhcfargo.org.
Golf Recap 19th Annual Ronald McDonald House Charities Golf Tournament The weather was perfect for our 19th
champion. Jill Christopher gave a short
Annual Ronald McDonald House Charities
program, and went even more in depth
Golf Tournament presented by Paul
as to how RMHC impacts the families
Aslakson—Thrivent Financial on Monday,
it serves. The evening concluded with
July 16th at the Meadows Golf Course in
cheers and laughter as raffle prizes were
Moorhead.
awarded to the lucky winners.
Our Executive Director, Jill Christopher,
A special thanks to our presenting
kicked off the event by explaining how
sponsor: Paul Aslakson – Thrivent
RMHC helps keep families close. Tammy
Financial. Thank you to our event
Gapinski also shared her family’s RMHC
sponsors: Comstock Land Co., Dr. Pepper,
story and how they stayed 6 nights at
Foss Architecture & Interiors, Midco,
RMHC while their little one got the care he
Prairie St. John’s, State Farm Insurance,
needed.
The Coca-Cola Co.
After the kick-off, golfers decked out in
A tremendous thank you to all our team
RMHC-inspired stripes and golf gear
and hole sponsors, raffle prize and door
hit the course! Teams were welcomed
prize donors, and volunteers for making
off the course with the promise of cool
our tournament a success in raising over
air conditioning and a meal fit for a
$35,000.
Thank you to the 2018 RMHC Golf Tournament Committee: Kayla Beehler Scott Billingsley Kelly Boyer Brad Loween Mackenzie Odden
Rachel Olson Matt Oye Nancy Rossland Shannon Tjaden Darin Underhill
Save The Date SHOW YOUR STRIPES #FORRMHC OCTOBER 12TH, 2018
We wear our stripes as a symbol of the wonderful work that RMHC does to keep families with critically-ill children together at little to no cost. Post a picture wearing your stripes online with the hashtag #forRMHC to show your support! Need stripes? We’ve got you covered! For a donation of $20 or more, not only can you cover the cost of what families are unable to pay, you can also get a pair of red and white striped socks or a t-shirt (while supplies last). Contact Erica at erica@rmhcfargo.org or 701-232-3980 for more information on how you can participate.
30TH ANNUAL SWEETHEART BALL
GIVING HEARTS DAY 2019 At the Ronald McDonald House, our dream is to keep all families with critically-ill children close by providing a supportive, home-like environment. This 24 hour online giving event is co-hosted by Dakota Medical Foundation, Impact Foundation and Alex Stern Foundation.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an exciting evening of dining, dancing, bidding on live and silent auctions, and supporting RMHC! The 30th Annual Sweetheart Ball will take place on Saturday, February 9th, 2019 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2019
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH, 2019
4757 AGASSIZ CROSSING S, FARGO, ND 58104