Heartbeats - May 2022

Heart

BEATS MAY 2022

Sertoma

GRIN IRON

CLASSIC June 3rd

Share A Heart

The 29th Annual Share a Heart Campaign numbers are in, and we are very pleased to announce another all-time, record-breaking year! With $124,673 in hearts adopted through McDonald’s restaurants, and the generosity of our community and sponsors, we are once again impressed with the dedication of our supporters and excited that the campaign will net nearly $129,000 this year. We’d like to send an extra special thank you to the Alpha Delta Pi - Gammu Mu Chapter for raising an impressive $4,309 towards the campaign!

Our reigning “Share a Heart” Champion also keeps his title with $6,583 raised by TJ Slocum. With the help of his parents, Randy and Debbie, TJ continues to show his enthusiasm by selling more hearts than anyone each year. Since 2008, TJ has raised $144,441 for the Ronald McDonald Houses of the Ozarks, and we are very grateful for his dedication.

The 2022 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; and Supporting Sponsors, Mid-Am Metal Forming and Colorgraphic Printing.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

LEADERSHIP SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

COLORGRAPHIC PRINTING incorporated

On Friday, June 3, 2022, Southwest Missouri will celebrate the tradition of watching graduated seniors play in the final football game of their high school careers at the 21st Annual Sertoma GRIN IRON CLASSIC All-Star Football Game. As the East goes head-to-head with the West, parents, coaches, friends, and supporters will gather to cheer on their favorite team in this game benefiting the Tooth Truck (our Ronald McDonald Care Mobile), a mobile dental clinic providing dental treatment and hygiene education for local children in need. Nearly 90 local high school athletes from Southwest Missouri have been selected by the SW MO High School Football Coaches Association for this East vs West All-Star competition, hosted by the Heart of the Ozarks Sertoma Club.

The Sertoma Grin Iron Classic will be played at Glendale High School with a 7:30pm kick off. Tickets are $10 each and available at the gate. (Kids 6 and under — FREE) This event would not be possible without the support from our community including Presenting Sponsors Delta Dental of Missouri and the Heart of the Ozarks Sertoma Club; Leadership Sponsors the Greater Springfield Dental Society and Mediacom; Supporting Sponsors Mercy and the Kevin Singleton Family; Contributing Sponsors McDonald’s of the Ozarks and Colorgraphic; and our numerous event program advertisers.

7-NIGHT TRIP FOR 2 5-NIGHT TRIP FOR 4 to Vidanta resort Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Waikiki Beachcomber

by Outrigger Resort Honolulu, Hawaii

Price Cutter Charity Championship Mark your calendars for the 33rd annual Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper (PCCC), July 21-24 at Highland Springs Country Club. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks has been a beneficiary since the inception of this event in 1990, providing nearly $1.4 million in support to our organization alone.

More than half of the annual funding we receive through the PCCC is from TLC Properties Charities Sweepstakes and Rick’s Raffle Tickets --- and tickets are on sale now! One hundred percent of your purchase will benefit the children and families of our two Ronald McDonald Houses if you designate RMHC as your preferred charity.

Both programs feature great prizes, so be sure to check out the enclosed flyer for more details! Each ticket also serves as a grounds season pass for the tournament.

You can purchase tickets online at RMHCozarks.org, by contacting Kim Booth at 417-875-3505 or by mailing a check with the bottom portion of the enclosed flyer to RMHC at 949 E Primrose, Springfield MO 65807.

Buy your tickets TODAY and help spread the word! They will make a fantastic GIFT!

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BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Meet Donna Powers!

Donna earned her degree in Physical Therapy and worked in long-term and acute medical facilities while in Illinois and then in home health when she and her family relocated to Springfield to become McDonald’s Owner/Operators. Donna and her husband Jerry owned four McDonald’s in Springfield and Battlefield starting in 1990.

She continued to run the restaurants after her husband, Jerry’s passing in 1999 for an additional 15 years. In November of 2014, she sold the restaurants and retired.

Due to her affiliation with McDonald’s, Donna grew to know and respect the mission of RMHC and was honored to serve on our Board beginning in 1992. She has served on the previous Grants Committee and as the Planning and Resource Committee Chair and most recently served as the Board Chair in 2021.

She has enjoyed all the friendships she’s made throughout her years of being part of our RMHC family. Her fond memories include being the founder and part of the planning committee for the Cup O’Cheer Homes Tour and her 18 years chairing Player Hospitality at the Price Cutter Charity Championship Golf Tournament.

She is fortunate to live close to her two married children, five grandchildren, and great-grandson, spending lots of wonderful time with them, notably at their Table Rock Lakehouse. She is an active member of her church, serving on the Finance Committee, as a bible study leader, a choir member, and serving with their food pantry. She also sings with the Messiah Project and helps BCFO with their spring Time to Share event. In her free time, she plays golf to the best of her ability, when the weather cooperates. She loves to travel the country and the world and hopes to get back to checking places off her bucket list as COVID gets more under control.

We have been so blessed to have Donna serve as one of our board members and an active volunteer over the years. Her dedication to our organization and the families we serve is inspirational. She will be dearly missed on our board as she serves the last year of her term, but the friendships and memories she’s made will stay with us all.

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From The

Staff

Heart of the House House Near Cox South

Happy

Current Active Volunteers:

1 YEAR

House At Mercy Kids

Anniversary Laura Benowitz, Cox House

Terri Carr Sandy Davis Blake Dowdy

Amy Grubaugh Dorothy Harlan Larry Meinsen

Brenda Rosebrough Gail Sours Kelly Wirtz

Current Active Volunteers: Terry Greer Tracie Nicholson

Glory Ehie Sandy Emberton

Ann Griesemer Jennie Crabbe.

Welcome back to the Mercy House, Jennie Crabbe, Terry Greer, and Tracie Nicholson!

RMHC Staff President & CEO Bonnie Keller

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS

Vice President Debbie Kinser

Program Manager Larry Chainey

Program Manager Ezra Wood

Tooth Truck Program Director Mindy Muñoz

Associate Program Manager Shannon Richards

Family Care Managers Austin Camplejohn Jacob Golden Julie Holt Savannah Keller Jack Osborn

Project Manager Amber Price Development Assistant Kim Booth Development Coordinator Katie Serangeli

Family Care Managers Laura Benowitz Jennifer Grooms Grace Richter Aida Stanley

Dinner Group Recipe Heart Beats is published monthly or bi-monthly for volunteers of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks and The Tooth Truck, Inc. ©2022 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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Team Janet’s Hash Brown Casserole: Each and every month at the House near Cox South, we look forward to the day when Team Janet brings in their delicious Hash Brown Casserole. We have been lucky enough to continue to receive this scrumptious meal for a number of years now and it continues to be a hit with our families (and staff) each time it is prepared! The recipe is simple and delicious.

INGREDIENTS: • 32oz frozen shredded hashbrowns • ½ c. melted butter • 1 10 ¼ oz can of cream of chicken soup • 1 pint sour cream • 2 c. Colby cheese (grated) • ¼ tsp. pepper INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl reserving ½ cup of cheese for topping.

3. Place in a greased 9×13 casserole dish and top with reserved cheese.

4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until hot and bubbly

Family Dinner

Spotlight

Birthdays

The Hutchens Family

April 8 Trot Kinser

When did you start providing meals at the Ronald McDonald House?

We have only provided a couple of meals so far, but we can’t wait to get more involved with the Ronald McDonald House and continue providing meals!

How did you get involved with the Family Dinner Program?

Every year we adopt a room at the House, so we’ve been involved with the organization for a while. This year my son was needing to complete community service hours for National Honor Society so I called to get information about how we could do that, and we were told about letting Dinner Groups come back into the House to prepare meals and it just worked out perfectly!

What is your favorite thing about participating in the Family Dinner Program?

The impact that it makes on the families staying at the Houses. There is a real

April 12 April Carmichael

connection between my family preparing this dinner and the families that are enjoying the dinner. It’s more than just a meal to us, it’s a way for us to show these families they aren’t alone.

What would you say to anyone considering volunteering for the Family Dinner Program?

Do it! Instead of taking your family out to dinner bring your family here to do a good deed for others. It provided some great quality bonding time for my family.

I encourage everyone to participate in the Family Dinner Program! It’s so nice to be able to fill the air in the House with the smells of a homecooked meal like you would have at home, and the family laughing and enjoying themselves just like you would have at home. It is a true Act of Love.

Team Janet Terri Carr The Girlfriends Robyn Russsell Union Hill Church of Christ

OPEN DINNER DATES:

May: 20,24,28,29,30,31 June:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,11,12,13,15,17,19,21,23, 24,25,26,28,29,30

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS Barbara Economon & Family Centralized Scheduling Department Cheryl Hitchings Covey Family Houlihan’s Lois Hirschler State Farm - Jordan Heinz Agency East Sunshine Church of Christ Southwest Baptist University ASN Program

Mercy Trauma Services Bricktown Brewery Amerprise Financial Turning Point Church Kinser Family Little Caesars DRG Validation Arvest Bank The Goldens SGC Family Medicine

April 19 Jerrica Conrad April 20 Jack Osborn May 4 Carrie Brown May 10 Erin Norris May 14 Dorothy Harlan May 15 Randy Slocum May 15 Caitlyn Norris

May 20 Amber Price

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH Jim Lumpe- Downtown Rotary Jones Family Lamphear Family LeAnn Pyatt Lindsey Allen Little Caesars Oak Grove Assembly of God Phillips Family Precious Moments Club- But Love Goes On Forever Sharmon Moser

April 18 Kenzie Voyles

May 17 Stephanie Bube

Dinner Groups!

Brittany Washam Cerner Si3 Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints- Chesterfield CNH Reman Crossway Baptist- The Williams Sunday School Class Gay Parks Hamilton Family Hutchens Family Knights of Columbus

April 17 Shawn Lowery

Cathy Sanchez Mercy PACU Penland Community Group

May 22 Bonnie Keller May 25 Terri Carr June 19 Heather Cottle Dillon June 21 Hannah Le June 27 Cathy Hamilton June 30 Brenda Havens

OPEN DINNER DATES:

May – 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29 June – 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30.

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Around the Houses Common Areas, Visitors, Guests, and Family Dinner Groups The months of March and April brought about some very exciting and long-awaited changes at both of our Ronald McDonald Houses.

In March, we officially reopened the common areas of the Houses after nearly two years, due to COVID. This change opened the door (literally) for our guests to fully utilize our facilities including our Living Rooms, Family Room, Playrooms, Kitchens, Family Living Center, Dining Rooms, Computer Nook, Playground, Deck, and Gathering Room. At the same time, we were able to lift restrictions on visitors, allowing our families to invite their loved ones in to spend time together in the common areas of the Houses. Families were given the green light to register additional guests to their room as well, which meant they could have their other children and/or family support members stay with them at the House while they navigate their child’s treatment and recovery.

April brought about another enormous win for the Houses when we officially reinstated the Family Dinner Program to something very close to its pre-pandemic state. We

Thinking of You Having a child receiving care in a hospital is an extremely difficult time for any parent or family member. A challenging time like this can feel amplified around holidays. Margie Williams is well aware of how challenging this time can be as she endured two months of her greatgrandson receiving care at Cox Hospital about ten years ago. During that time,

are now allowing Family Dinner Groups back in the House to prepare, serve, and package our family dinners! Guests who are comfortable and available can enjoy a hot meal served by the group, and those who aren’t can grab a packaged meal from the refrigerator at their convenience.

These are HUGE milestones on the road to progress and return to normal and we can’t put into words what they have meant to the families staying with us. It has been such a joy to watch our Houses come to life in ways we haven’t seen since early 2020!

The use of the common areas and the presence of additional guests and visitors has really amplified our need for regularlyscheduled volunteers. If you are interested in committing to a regular volunteer shift, or a day on our calendar to provide and/ or serve a meal as part of our Family Dinner Program, please contact Shannon Richards at the Cox House or Ezra Wood at the Mercy House. They can provide information on open shifts, open dinner dates, and guidelines for returning in either form. Information is also available at https://rmhcozarks. org/volunteers/family-dinnerprogram/

Margie, her grandson and granddaughter-inlaw stayed at the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South to remain close to their child.

Over the past several years, Margie has made it her mission to give back to RMHC. This has turned into a meaningful tradition for Margie, as she has made it her special project to put together Easter baskets for the families staying at both of our Houses each year.

This April, Margie collected items, constructed, and delivered FIFTY Easter baskets for the families staying at our Houses! These baskets were filled with

House Volunteer Spotlight Glory Ehie

Glory began volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids in late 2019. Soon after, our Volunteer Program went into an extended hiatus due to COVID. Once we were able to bring a few key volunteers back into the House, Glory jumped at the opportunity and committed to a regular 3-hour shift on Tuesdays. Our Tuesday night Family Care Manager, Jack, had this to say about working with Glory: “Glory is always willing to help out. She’s a great listener and enjoys hearing from our guests, whether it’s about their experience in the hospital or what they’ve been up to in their free time. You can tell that Glory is here to serve the families every time she walks through our door with a smile”.

Glory is rapidly approaching the 50-hours served mark at the Mercy House, and she has made the most of every single one of those hours. Whether she is cleaning and preparing a room for another family, disinfecting a common area, or preparing a meal for 20 people, Glory tackles each and every task with a positive attitude and genuine desire to make a lasting impact on the lives of our guests. Thank you, Glory!

What is your favorite thing to do (or a couple things) at the House?

Preparing dinner for our families.

What do you enjoy in your free time?

Monthly Statistics Playing volleyball or watching Netflix.

Extracurricular activities?

Volunteering.

Do you volunteer anywhere else in the Springfield community? If yes, where?

Habitat for Humanity and Eden Village.

How did you learn about the Ronald McDonald House?

From one of the service clubs I was in called Bear Service.

Do you have any favorite memories?

Hearing stories from the staff.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with our organization?

Getting to see and hear how at peace some of the families are knowing they have a place to stay while they wait on their loved ones at the hospital.

Fun Fact not many people would know about you?

I love sushi.

Upon delivery of this generous donation, Margie shared that she just wanted as many people as possible to know that someone is thinking about them. Through Margie’s

House Near Cox South STATS Families Served.............. 22 Nights.................................. 156 Families from Missouri................................ 18 Families from Other States.........................4 Year to Date.......................49 Program to Date.....11,198

House At Mercy Kids STATS Families Served..............30 Nights...................................241 Families from Missouri................................ 27 Families from Other States.........................3

continued from page 6

candy, toys, art supplies and love and good wishes from Margie. There were several special baskets designed specifically for families with a child receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) at Mercy and Cox Hospitals.

March 2022

Year to Date.......................70 generosity, and dedication to giving back to our organization, this desire was certainly fulfilled as all of our families and their children received a special treat on Easter weekend. Thank you for this incredibly generous donation, Margie! Your pursuit to let others know that someone is thinking about them is quite inspiring to us all and was greatly appreciated by our families this past Easter weekend.

Program to Date.... 3,608

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WISH LIST

Staff Stuff

Food Items • • • •

Shelf-Stable Milk K-Cups Individual Coffee Creamer Individually Wrapped Snacks • Canned Soda • Bottled Water

Miscellaneous Items • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bakeware Cookie Sheets Sets of Pots and Pans Lip Balm Small Bottles of Lotion Crayons Blank Note Cards Notebooks Playing Cards Travel-Size Hand Sanitizer On-the-Go Drink Mixes New Small Stuffed Animals • Individual Packs of Tissues • Queen Fitted Sheets • White Matching Bath Towels

Family Items • Beauty Gift Sets for Women • Travel Manicure Sets • Daily Planners • Shower Sets for Men • Adult & Child Activity Books • Travel Coffee Mugs • Deodorant • Fleece Throw Blankets • Small Gifts for Children • Adult Sweatpants (variety of sizes) • Adult T-Shirts (variety of sizes) • Socks (variety of sizes)

Gift Cards • • • •

Gas Cards Amazon Walmart Target

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Farewell, Larry Chainey!

After two and half years with RMHC of the Ozarks, we will be saying farewell to Larry Chainey later this month. Larry joined our organization as a volunteer at the Cox House in 2018. In December 2019, we welcomed him as the Program Manager for the House at Mercy Kids. A few short months later, the Houses closed during the beginning of the pandemic and have operated under restricted guidelines since that time. The majority of Larry’s time on our staff has been during the pandemic,

Welcome, Shannon Richards!

In early March, we welcomed Shannon Richards to our leadership team as the Associate Program Manager for the House near Cox South. Shannon relocated to the area from Colorado Springs, Colorado with her boyfriend, Jake in December. Shannon is bringing expertise from her previous position as the General Manager with Nothing Bundt Cakes to

Welcome Anna Lawless In April, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks welcomed Anna Lawless to our team of Family Care Managers. Anna will be splitting her time between both Houses, serving at the Cox House on Wednesdays and the Mercy

requiring a heightened level of leadership, as well as special care to each and every family. His daily example has been repeatedly mentioned as a blessing by our families. The past few months have involved yet another shift in priorities as we’ve reopened the House common areas and brought back our Volunteers and Family Dinner Groups. We are so grateful for Larry’s contributions, particularly over the last two years. His guidance was immeasurable as we established a new normal for the operations of our Houses during the pandemic. Larry is looking forward to having some downtime before beginning his search for his next professional opportunity.

We wish you nothing but the best, Larry, and look forward to seeing you soon!

RMHC. She is an outdoor enthusiast and is excited to explore all the Ozarks has to offer. We were able to virtually celebrate Shannon’s birthday with her on her third day with the organization. At that time, each of our staff members shared their favorite restaurants and adventures so she could begin enjoying everything that is the Ozarks right away.

Shannon will soon begin serving as our Program Manager of the Cox House, and we are so excited to have her in this leadership role!

House on Sundays. Anna is a senior at Missouri State University, majoring in Hospitality. She is originally from St. Louis and is the youngest of four children. Anna was born with aortic stenosis and had to have two smaller surgeries and one open-heart surgery growing up, which is why the Ronald McDonald House holds a special place in her life.

She is excited for the future and looks forward to serving the families at both Houses!

National Nurses Week Since 1994, the American Nurses Association has recognized the contributions nurses make in communities around the world with a weeklong event known as National Nurses Week. This week is celebrated each year, May 6-12, and reminds us to thank these medical professionals for their hard work and dedication to service.

WISH LIST

RMHC of the Ozarks would like to acknowledge the positive impact nurses have in our community and express our sincere appreciation for their commitment to provide quality care and compassion in our local medical facilities.

purchased gifts for the nurses serving in the pediatric units at our two partnering hospitals: Cox South Hospital and Mercy Hospital. These gifts included a pen and pad of sticky notes, both displaying the RMHC of the Ozarks logo, and a voucher to receive a free donut at Hurts Donuts. These gifts also include an encouraging message stating, “We DONUT know what we would do... without everyday heroes like you”.

As a small token of our appreciation, we

Thank you, nurses!

Congratulations, Graduates!

Earning a college degree requires a great deal of dedication, focus and sacrifice and is an accomplishment certainly worthy of celebration. We would like to recognize three members of our staff who will be graduating this May.

Manager team at the Cox House this past March. Sydney will be receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Health Services with an emphasis in Science Reasoning and a minor in Healthcare Management from Missouri State University.

Jacob Golden has served as a member of our Family Care Manager team at the Mercy House since October of 2018. Jacob will be receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, with a sub-focus on Video Game Development from Drury University.

Anna Lawless joined our Family Care Manager teams at the Cox and Mercy Houses this past April. Anna will be receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality from Missouri State University.

Sydney Moler joined our Family Care

Welcome Sydney Moler Sydney Moler joined our Family Care Manager team at the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South in March, serving during the day shifts on Sundays.

Sydney will be graduating this May from Missouri State University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services, with

Happy Wheels 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

Congratulations to these graduates! We hope the very best for you all moving forward.

an emphasis in Science Reasoning and a Healthcare Management minor.

After graduation, Sydney will focus her studies on earning a Master’s degree in Health Administration, also at Missouri State University.

When she is not studying, Sydney enjoys hanging out with her friends, watching movies, going to parks and hiking. She also enjoys playing with her dog, Murphy. Sydney has been a wonderful addition to our team of Family Care Managers!

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Heart of the Truck Katie Baird McKenna Courtney Molly Gross Anna Gunderman Grace Hoffman Sarah Jobe Sydney Johnson Anya Jones Derrick Marshall Karen Zapata

Tooth Talk

The Heart of the Tooth Truck is Back When COVID-19 reached Springfield back in March 2020, the Tooth Truck had to suspend its volunteer program to ensure the health and safety of all. While the Tooth Truck was able to return to patient care by early June that year, our safety protocols limited individuals within the Tooth Truck to patients and staff. This is how we operated throughout the 2020-2021 school year and into the fall of 2021. As we prepared to ring in 2022, we determined it was time to resume our volunteer program once again.

It was such a great feeling to know we had reached a stage in the pandemic when we could safely bring back the heart of the Tooth Truck.

During the short walk to the Tooth Truck, volunteers will also help prepare children for their dental appointment. If a child has never been to the dentist before, the volunteer will explain how we will take pictures of their teeth, brush and floss them, then Dr. Sarah will come in and take a look at everything. If there is any nervousness, our volunteers can help talk them through it, so they start off the visit more at ease. At the end of the appointment, volunteers ensure each child has their paperwork, goody bag, and a prize to celebrate a successful visit. It’s then time for one more conversation as they head back to class.

STAFF

Volunteers play such a crucial role in the Tooth Truck experience for our patients.

They are the first face a child meets as they enter the classroom and greet the child. We always love learning a fun fact about each child as they first walk aboard; perhaps the volunteer has bonded with a child over a shared love of math (or recess) or that they are both middle children and hate spinach. These precious moments with each patient are so important and make a lasting impression long after the dental appointment is complete.

Our volunteers are such a big part of the success of the Tooth Truck. They do so much to support our efforts to improve the oral health of children in our community and we enjoy getting to know them on an individual level. Many of our volunteers are pre-dental students and we truly love getting to be a part of their dental journey.

While it’s hard to say goodbye to many of them this time each year, we know they are heading off having learned a great deal and holding onto countless memories from their time with us. Our volunteers are simply the best!

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Patients get special one-on-one time with volunteers during their visit to the Tooth Truck.

Birthdays April 1 Dr. Aaron Dannegger May 2 Dr. Brett Durbin May 3 Dawn Brown May 6 Karen Zapata May 17 McKenna Courtney May 25 Sydney Johnson

PRESIDENT & CEO Bonnie Keller PROGRAM DIRECTORRONALD MCDONALD CARE MOBILE Mindy Muñoz GENERAL DENTIST Dr. Sarah Cimino COMMUNITY DENTISTS Dr. Aaron Dannegger Dr. Brett Durbin Dr. Misty Shelton Office Coordinator Dawn Brown DENTAL ASSISTANTS Megan Sanders Kassidy Tuttle

Volunteers safely walk children to We love celebrating each and from their classrooms, engaging successful appointment and each in conversation along the way. renewed smile.

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile of the Ozarks

Staff Welcomes The Tooth Truck is overjoyed to welcome Kassidy Tuttle to the full-time dental assisting position. She initially began her time with the Tooth Truck working one day a week and instantly fell in love with the experience.

Her favorite part is getting to know each patient’s personality and connecting on an individual level. She has a big heart for kids, and it shows in each interaction. In her spare time, she enjoys running, cheering on her son at soccer games, and loving on every animal she meets. Welcome Kassidy!

Tooth Truck Wish List

Action figures Matchbox cars Hair accessories (clips, headbands) Chapstick Clorox Wipes Dixie Cups Handheld games

February Stats Children Treated:...............150 Dental Appointments Provided: ................................232 Year to Date Dental Appointments: ................... 388 Program to Date Dental Appointments: ............62,664 Program to Date Value of Treatment: .......$20.2 million Children Who Received Treatment:

Jewelry (necklaces, bracelets) DVDs for older children Outdoor toys (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, sports balls) Walmart gift cards Beanie Babies

Volunteer Welcomes The Tooth Truck recently welcomed three new volunteers to the program. Here’s a little about them:

Katie Baird grew up in Springfield and is currently a junior at Missouri State University studying biology and chemistry.

She has volunteered several places, including Convoy of Hope and serves as a University Ambassador at Missouri State. She was encouraged to apply to the Tooth Truck through the pre-dental society and is excited to serve her community through the Tooth Truck.

Bowerman Elementary Great Circle Holland Elementary Pipkin Middle School Sunshine Elementary Weaver Elementary

March Stats Children Treated:...............207 Dental Appointments Provided: ................................352 Year to Date Dental Appointments: ....................740 Program to Date Dental Appointments: ............ 63,016 Program to Date Value of Treatment: ...... $20.4 million Children Who Received Treatment:

Cowden Elementary Delaware Elementary Great Circle Horace Mann Elementary Mark Twain Elementary Mt. Vernon Schools Sherwood Elementary Verona Schools Weaver Elementary Westport School

Sydney Johnson is a recent college graduate enjoying a gap

year before starting dental school at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in the fall. She has previous experience working at pop-up dental clinics and appreciates the opportunity to give her time to causes that are meaningful to her.

Karen Zapata is originally from Nicaragua where she worked as a dentist before relocating to the US. She has been active in a variety of volunteer opportunities, including serving as a coordinator for dental mission trips to Nicaragua for many years. Karen currently works as a dental assistant with Dr. Kay Knipschild.

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Heart Beats

949 E. Primrose Street Springfield, Missouri 65807-5257

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

MISSION MOMENT

Collins Family Donation Through the Christmas and New Year’s season of 2015, the Collins family stayed in the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids while their daughter, Hallie, was receiving care in the Pediatric Unit at Mercy Hospital.

During her time in the unit, Hallie would regularly receive small gifts from the Ronald McDonald House. For Hallie and her family, these gifts served as a welcomed distraction from the necessary tests and procedures she was experiencing in the unit.

In the years following their stay, the Collins family have been committed to giving back to the organization that helped them during their time of need.

They are continually on the lookout to find deals on toys, crafts and personal care items that will bring the same

comfort and distraction for the families and children served by our Ronald McDonald Houses.

Most recently, Hallie and her sister, Mila, created a Facebook event encouraging friends and family to donate funds.

Brittany, Hallie’s mother, utilized the funds raised to shop for items included on the Wish List posted on our website.

Brittany, Hallie and their grandmother “Gammy” handmade blankets and burp cloths for families with a newborn child. After the items were collected and made, they delivered the donated items to the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South.

It is through acts of generosity and kindness like this that the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks is successfully delivered to families with an ill or injured child in our local medical facilities.

Thank you, Collins family, for your continued support of our organization!