Heart
BEATS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
Share a Heart
On Wednesday, January 29th, 62 McDonald’s Restaurants and various other locations in the Ozarks will begin placing red, pink and gold “adopted” paper hearts on their walls and windows in support of our Ronald McDonald Houses and the 27th Annual “Share a Heart” Campaign. The campaign runs through February 29th and we encourage you to visit your favorite McDonald’s to show hope, love, and encouragement for our families by sharing your heart and adopting a $1, $5 or $20 paper heart. Hearts are also available at both Ronald McDonald Houses. The 2020 Share A Heart Campaign is presented by McDonald’s of the Ozarks and continues to thrive with support from Leadership Sponsors: Great Southern Bank and KY3 in addition to Supporting Sponsor: Mid-Am Metal Forming. Visit ShareAHeart.org to view this year’s Family Profiles, Ronald McDonald House Facts & Figures, and see where our families come from on our Share a Heart Map.
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1 $5
20
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PRESENTING SPONSOR
Every heart comes with an official entry to win a $1,000 gift card provided by
LEADERSHIP SPONSORS
McTJ Night “McTJ Night” was held at McDonald’s in Marshfield on Monday, February 3rd from 4 pm to 8 pm., with twenty percent of all sales that evening going towards longtime volunteer, TJ Slocum’s personal goal for the Share a Heart Campaign. You can help TJ with his goal by donating online at RMHCozarks.org. Be sure to note "TJ" in the comment section! SUPPORTING SPONSOR
From The
Staff Happy
Anniversary 1 YEAR Kitty Bunch, Mercy House April Carmichael, Mercy House David Carmichael, Mercy House Lauren Stockam, Mercy House Kayla Swearengin, Mercy House Will Vance, Mercy House Ryan Winstead, Cox House
5 YEARS Jennie Crabbe, Mercy House Karla Peck, Cox House
10 YEARS
Heart of the House House Near Cox South Ann Adams Karis Agnew Andrew Bandelow Hannah Braden Nadean Burnett John Carr Terri Carr Nancy Clark Tammi Davis Kathy Dennis Lynelle Dock-Peck Cheryl Douglas Blake Dowdy Judy Duncan Angela Fairchild Raymond Filbeck Clydene Freeman Amanda Fronzaglia Becky Gillham Shawn Gott Ashley Grady Amy Grubaugh Dorothy Harlan Laura Harrelson
Aston Heinrichs Kaya Heinrichs Olivia Heinrichs Corine Isenhower Lisa James Laura Johnson Raegan Johnston Clayton Keller Levi Kemp Becky Lang Peyton Long Shawn Lowery Jennifer Lozaw Evan Mason Eileen Meinsen Larry Meinsen Sandy Morris Roberta Osborn Karla Peck LeRoy Peck Gretta Phillips Lerris Pierce Aidan Plank Kay Prost
Beka Razor Rebecca Reser Abigail Richardson Cliff Ricketts Jan Ricketts Brenda Rosebrough Timothy Schmelz Anne Schubert Debbie Slocum Randy Slocum T.J. Slocum Mary Smith Gail Sours Grace Stagner Kim Stagner Pamela Stout Kaden Sumter Ava Uzzell Sondra Uzzell Tristen Uzzell Abigail Weitzel Lucy Weitzel Joanna Weitzel Scott Weitzel
Travis Weitzel James Winstead Ryan Winstead Kelly Wirtz Meghan Zengel Sydney Zupan
Stephanie Bube Katherine Bunch April Carmichael David Carmichael Katy Chambers Jerrica Conrad Jennie Crabbe Glory Ehie Sandy Emberton Alexis Gaono Ashley Green Terry Greer Ann Griesemer Shirley Hall
Renae Harrison Brenda Havens Kylee Heishman Thomas Heye Jenni Jacka Leah Jackson Trot Kinser Ami Le Hannah Le Erin Norris Caitlyn Norris Ellie Norris Brady Marshall Kathy Marshall
Kassie Medina Jianna Mills Kiera Mills Krista Mills Rebekah Mitts Marel Morris Jordan Newman Tracie Nicholson Kate Okland Olivia Parks Jamie Phariss Sarah Phillips Cathy Sanchez Linda Schultz
Maricielo SchwartzLeon Lauren Stockam Breanna Sundet Kayla Swearengin Madeline Urhahn Will Vance Kenzie Voyles Hanna Wilken Judy Zorn
House At Mercy Kids
Welcome, New Volunteers To Houses Andrew Bandelow, Hannah Braden, Glory Ehie, Emily Johnson, and Gail Sours
Tristen Uzzell, Cox House
RMHC Staff Heart Beats is published monthly or bi-monthly for volunteers of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks and The Tooth Truck, Inc. ©2020 RMHC The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald’s Corporation and its affiliates and are used under license: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities logo, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, RMHC, Keeping Families Close. The Tooth Truck name and logo are owned by The Tooth Truck, Inc.
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President & CEO Bonnie Keller
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS
Vice President Debbie Kinser
Program Manager Laura Winstead
Program Manager Larry Chainey
Tooth Truck Program Director Mindy Muñoz
Associate Program Manager Associate Program Manager Lacey McKeever Kelly Toner
Project Manager Amber Price Development Assistant Kim Booth Administrative Assistant Debbi Gafner
Family Care Managers Lexi Beaman Elizabeth Bottorff Mackenzie Meyers Emily Ogle Rebekkah Wall Sara Wilken
Family Care Managers Jacob Golden Abby Hartman Kennedy Keller Savannah Keller Hannah Major Jack Osborn
Family Dinner
Birthdays
Spotlight
January 1 Jamie Phariss Kaden Sumter
Kickapoo High School Student Council
January 2 Amy Grubaugh
Let’s learn a little bit more about Kickapoo High School’s Student Council! The Kickapoo Student Council serves dinner as part of the Family Dinner Program at the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South. The students that are elected to their positions are current high school seniors and serve on the student council for one year. How did you get involved with the Family Dinner Program? The advisor of our group was involved in serving the Ronald McDonald House in her college sorority. She has been serving as part of the Family Dinner Program with the KHS Student Council for a few years now. Additionally, one of the Student Council Members has been a volunteer with the Cox House.
January 3 Jim Hallam What is your favorite thing about serving a meal at the Ronald McDonald House?
January 6 Lucy Weitzel
It is an easy place to volunteer and talk to people. What they do here is amazing. It is local, literally right in our [Kickapoo] backyard! We drive past here every day and now we get to be involved.
January 9 Ray Filbeck
What would you say to anyone considering volunteering with the Family Dinner Program? This program is significant because what the families are going through here can affect people you know. It’s not about how much money you have; anyone can be in need. It’s amazing to be part of this mission.
Dinner Groups Debbie Lane Deeter Family Donna Powers and RMHC Board Members Dru-Anne and Friends Drury Summit Park Eddie Marmouget Fordland COC Fremont Elementary Gina McClanahan Ginny Ashley Girl Scout Troop #70615 Glendale Christian Church Hamilton Family Hill Family Holy Trinity
Jack Henry Finance Jimmy John’s Just Friends Kay Powers and Family Knights of Columbus Knights Templar Larissa Jackson and Family Lindsey Allen Little Caesar’s Mercedes Valeika Nixa Spanish Honors Society Northside Christian Small Group Oak Grove Assembly Parkcrest Baptist Church
Second Baptist Church Sew Blessed at Ozark UMC Shelby Family Spoor Family Stallcup Family Sunset Church of Christ Young Professionals The Girlfriends Union Hill Church of Christ Washam Family Wil Fischer Open Dinner Dates: March: 2, 22, 31
Jordan Heinz State Farm Kathleen Smith Lois and Jessica Louise Morgan Marshfield National Honor Society Marshfield YEP Mercy 5B Nurses Mercy Central Mercy Key Shop Mercy Microbiology and Immunology Mercy Patient Food Services and Workers Compensation Mercy SBU College of Nursing
Missouri State Child Life Student Association Missouri State University Student Nursing Organization Mychelle and Jen Penland Community Group at Life Point Church Strafford Nazarene Youth Sunset Church of Christ – Young Professionals Class The Barbo Family The Barnes Family The Calhouns The Carlson Family The Conrad Family The Cowger Family The Hayes Family
January 15 Kim Stagner
January 20 Becky Gillham Nancy Clark January 21 Jennifer Lozaw January 23 Jean Grabeel Lynelle Dock-Peck January 25 Cheryl Douglas January 27 TJ Slocum
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS November & December Amy Clotfelter Arvest Bank Ash Grove UMPC Battlefield UMC Bill Covey and Family Courageous Church Drury Volunteer Corps East Sunshine Church of Christ Fair Grove National Honor Society Garten Group – Northside Christian Church Houlihans Jack Henry and Associates “Mayor McCheese” of Monett
January 14 Evan Mason
January 17 Olivia Parks Brenda Rosebrough
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH November & December Aldridge Family Battlefield UMC Carr Family Cerner Si3 Cherokee Middle School National Junior Honor Society China Union Church Chip Covey and Family Church of Latter Day SaintsChesterfield Ward CNH Reman Covenant Presbyterian Church Cox Fracture Liaison Clinic Dan Wasmer
January 12 Tim Schmelz
The Sanchez Family The Skidmore and Johnson Family The Umbaugh Family The Wilkins Family Turning Point Church Union Hill Church of Christ Wellington Hills Friends
February 1 Amanda Fronzaglia February 11 Scott Weitzel February 14 Laura Winstead Karen Taylor February 19 Ann Griesemer
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Wish List
Around the Houses
Mission Moment
Happy Wheels Wish List Small bottles of lotion Mini hand sanitizers Activity books (crossword puzzles, Sudoku, word finder) Small packs of crayons for the activity books Travel manicure sets Chapstick Individual packs of Kleenex Individually packaged snacks (Goldfish, granola bars, Teddy Grahams, gum, mints, Lifesavers, etc.) 12-ounce water bottles
The Wilcox Family The Wilcox family used the Ronald McDonald Houses in St. Louis for many weeks while taking care of Caedmon’s little brother. To help other families, Caedmon donated part of his Christmas money along with the money he made while selling lemonade at a yard sale. What a kind and generous little guy! Thanks to the Wilcox family for their ongoing support!
House at Mercy Kids
HE Laundry detergent Swiffer liquid Coffee filters Coffee & tea Magic Erasers Labels for food Drink mixes Hygiene products Gallon-size Ziploc bags Laundry baskets Aluminum foil Travel-Size Toothpaste Fabric Softener
House near Cox South
8-gallon trash bags Individually wrapped breakfast items White queen deep pocket sheets (fitted and flat) White standard-size pillowcases White bath & hand towels White wash cloths Detergent Stamps 8 1/2 x 11 Paper K-cups Large Tupperware containers White Bath Mats
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Welcome, Larry! The Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids is excited to welcome Larry Chainey as our new Program Manager! Although Larry joined the organization as a staff member in early December, he is not new to Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks. He joined our volunteer team at the House near Cox South in August of 2018, volunteering two shifts each week. In addition to his weekly commitment to the organization, he has supported our fundraising efforts by volunteering for the Grin Action Classic, Price Cutter Charity Championship, Red Friday, Red Shoe Gala and Cup O’Cheer. Among his professional experience, Larry worked for ARC of the Ozarks and was a special education teacher and Assistant Baseball Coach for Willard Schools. Larry is also actively involved with the youth at Parkview Christian Church and enjoys spending time with his family. Welcome, Larry!
Joining us this January… The Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids is pleased to welcome Kearstin Hofstetter as our Spring 2020 intern! Kearstin is starting at the Mercy Kids location, but will have the chance to work with the House near Cox as well as the Tooth Truck. In her free time, Kearstin loves going to Florida to visit her parents and her sister. She also loves to watch Disney Plus. Kearstin is currently a student at Missouri State University with a major of Child and Family Development and is working towards grad school. She is excited to be part of RMH so she has the chance to help families in need. Welcome, Kearstin!
House Volunteer Spotlight Breanna Sundet Breanna has been a volunteer at the House at Mercy Kids for over a year now and has completed 100+ hours! Breanna graduated from college in May of 2019 with a major in Communications. A fun fact Breanna wanted to share was that her favorite fingerprint is her left ring fingerprint because it is the most-swirly out of all! What is your favorite things to do at the House? I love to do laundry, the dishes, and cleaning the door handles! What do you enjoy in your free time? I have really gotten into hiking lately, it is my passion. I have been to Busiek a lot, Ha Ha Tonka, and I am looking forward to going to some places in Arkansas! How did you learn about the Ronald McDonald House? I first heard of Ronald McDonald House in the past through the Pop Tab program, but did not really know what Ronald McDonald House was about. But, I learned more about it through Rare Breed, actually. I had a group project to do for school with them and around the Christmas season I asked if they knew of any place that needed volunteers for the holiday season. That is when they
Monthly Statistics suggested Ronald McDonald House and I decided to volunteer here! Do you have any favorite memories volunteering at Ronald McDonald House? Yes, when Savannah (Family Care Manager at Mercy Kids) and I used to do Saturday morning gifts for families, we dropped off a big stuffed dog to one of the rooms, thinking nothing of it. However, the mom staying in that room came to us not long after and told us that the stuffed dog we gave her looked just like their family dog. She continued, tearing up, and she explained how her son was in a coma and would only respond to pictures of their dog. The family even contemplated buying their own stuffed animal look-a-like! That was such a touching moment we were able to share with a family and we didn’t think that stuffed dog would have made such a big difference! What do you enjoy most about volunteering with our organization? I just love that I have the opportunity to donate my time to something outside of myself.
December 2019
House Near Cox South STATS Families Served..............53 Nights.................................. 335 Families from Missouri................................ 47 Families from Other States.........................6 Year to Date.................... 354 Program to Date...10,793
House At Mercy Kids STATS Families Served..............58 Nights..................................263 Families from Missouri................................ 52 Families from Other States.........................6 Year to Date....................390 Program to Date......3,161
Wish List Alert! The Houses are in high need of the following items: paper towels, Clorox wipes, Lysol spray, trash bags (4 gal, 13 gal, & black outdoor), coffee, and k-cups for the Keurig. You can find a Cox House Wish List on Amazon by visiting: http://a.co/cQzH84L and a Mercy House Wish List by visiting: http://a.co/0HQoFbD
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Heart Tooth Talk of the Truck Lauryn Allison Britt Bartels Megan Blake Stephanie Daniels Kathy Evans Angela Fairchild Melinda Fielder Katlyn Frazier Shawn Gott Patrick Hoerning Sarah Jobe Anya Jones Susan Lemmon Connie McCarter Breanna Mareschal Brianna Sanford Blaine Weiss Chloe Williams Jessica Zengel
STAFF
PRESIDENT & CEO Bonnie Keller PROGRAM DIRECTORRONALD MCDONALD CARE MOBILE Mindy Muñoz GENERAL DENTIST Dr. Sarah Cimino COMMUNITY DENTISTS Dr. Raymond Burton Dr. Aaron Dannegger Dr. Brett Durbin Dr. Misty Shelton OFFICE MANAGER Abbie Dohmen DENTAL ASSISTANTS Megan Sanders Gracie Morton PART-TIME DENTAL ASSISTANTS Amy Baker Nicole Woolbright HEALTHY SMILES ACADEMY PROGRAM MANAGER Tamra Thomas
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Where Oral Hygiene Can Take Us By Tamra Thomas
When Cassville first joined the Healthy Smiles Academy last spring, the focus was on the Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade and Special Education classrooms in the elementary building. In total, we served 11 classrooms and 232 students; but, we did not stop there. We are excited to announce that the Healthy Smiles Academy recently had a major expansion! With Cassville’s recent commitment to include intermediate students, today, more than 600 elementary and intermediate students practice good oral hygiene habits as part of their school routine. This expansion was made possible through the work and passion of the school nurses, Bobbi and Cindy, who saw the need for brushing after the Tooth Truck repaired 358 cavities during its first visit to the school district in 2018. Now, we have served 25 additional classrooms and 380 more students! Looking back on the year, we learned that each classroom was unique in their leaning style, so the program was customized to best fit the needs of each age demographic.
For the Pre-K classes, the practice of good oral hygiene starts in their classroom. The teachers will line up their students at the door and swipe toothpaste on their toothbrushes. Next, the students will follow one another to a nearby restroom to begin their tooth-brushing. In an assembly line, the Pre-K students will brush with the help of their teachers and return back to class. The Kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms chose to brush at their desks in the classroom. With the help of teachers starting their day a few minutes early to set up supplies, this is really the quickest way to implement brushing in the classroom. In unison, the students brush their teeth for a full two minutes and with everyday practice, these classrooms had the technique down in no time! With our new addition of intermediate students, we had the privilege to teach our new classrooms about oral hygiene through a presentation in their cafeteria. After the presentation, the students practiced Continues Page 7
Lillith, a pre-k student, demonstrates how she starts out in her classroom with her toothbrush, swipes on her toothpaste then heads to the restroom across the hall to brush!
This is what it looked like to present our program to the 3rd to 5th grade classrooms in Cassville. We successfully launched six classrooms of each grade at a time!
Continued from page 6
brushing together, while staff generously provided assistance and oversight! We then were able to find areas for brushing that work best for each and every one of their classrooms. The classrooms for the intermediate students decided to brush in the nearest restroom to start their day. We are thrilled to hear how this daily brushing routine impacts their oral hygiene knowledge in the future. We are delighted to have so many brushing participants in Cassville and we are looking forward to the impact on oral hygiene as the students implement brushing each and every school day. Nurse Bobbi is a huge advocate of our program. Here she is with Noah and our brushing mascot, DecayAway Dragon.
Tooth Truck Wish List
Action figures Matchbox cars Hair accessories (clips, headbands) Chapstick Clorox Wipes Dixie Cups Handheld games
Jewelry (necklaces, bracelets) DVDs for older children Outdoor toys (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, sports balls) Walmart gift cards Beanie Babies
New Volunteer Welcomes We would like to introduce you to our newest volunteers:
Lauryn Lauryn Allison is a recent Missouri State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She was recently accepted into the Dental School at UMKC and will be moving there this summer. She loves visiting local stores and coffee shops with friends or hanging out at home with her nieces and nephews. She has volunteered for RMHC since high school and is excited to bring her talents to the Healthy Smiles Academy!
Britt Britt Bartels moved to Springfield from Moline, Illinois four years ago with her husband, Zack, and two sons. In her free time, Britt likes to read, exercise, and spend time with her family and friends at Table Rock Lake. This summer, the family all learned how to wake surf! She recently got two Goldendoodles, Walter and Willie, that keep everyone busy. Britt has enjoyed volunteering with the Healthy Smiles Academy and helping children understand the importance of good oral health.
Shawn Shawn is a very familiar face around the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South, but he just started volunteering on the Tooth Truck! Shawn is self-employed and dedicates much of his free time to volunteering, including a weekly shift at Isabel’s House. He brings charisma and energy to everything he does and loves making a difference in the lives of children.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile of the Ozarks December 2019 Children Treated:...............163 Dental Appointments Provided:..................................232 Year to Date Dental Appointments:..................2,731 Program to Date Dental Appointments:.............58,048 Program to Date Value of Treatment:..........$17.3 million Children Who Received Treatment: Bissett Elementary Great Circle Holland Elementary
Birthdays January 19 Chloe Williams January 23 Anya Jones January 30 Megan Blake February 8 Britton Jobe February 22 Alison Nelson February 23 Sarah Jobe
Happy Anniversary 1 year Katlyn Frazier Jessica Zengel
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Heart Beats
949 E. Primrose Street Springfield, Missouri 65807-5257
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
BeneďŹ tting
Jan 29 THROUGH
Feb 29 $ 1 $5
20
$
Every heart comes with an official entry to win a $1,000 gift card provided by