Heart Beats - October 2018

Heart

BEATS OCTOBER 2018

23rd Annual

Cup O’Cheer Homes Tour, Holiday Tea & Market

Ryan & Cathy Kruger Lexington Square Holiday Décor by Cathy Kruger and Nathan Taylor, Obelisk Home

Friday, November 16 The Diamond Room 2340 W. Grand 10:00am – 8:00pm

The 23rd Annual Cup O’Cheer will be held Friday, November 16, 2018 and highlight five of the area’s most beautiful and unique homes decorated for the holidays. Along with touring the homes, guests are invited to join us at The Diamond Room for our annual Holiday Tea from Churchill Coffee Co; and desserts and savory treats provided

by Simply Delicious Catering. The 2018 Cup O’Cheer Market, also held at The Diamond Room, will feature gifts and beautiful home decor from local specialty merchants, a Silent Auction, and wine and specialty drinks available for purchase.

The first 1,000 guests to purchase a ticket will receive a commemorative Cup O’Cheer china teacup and saucer designed by the team at BridgeBlue Sourcing Partners and

Obelisk Home, which may be picked up at The Diamond Room on the day of the event.

Phil & Sharon Noah Southeast Springfield Holiday Décor by Sharon Noah

Tickets are on sale now for $35 in advance or $40 the day of the event. Proceeds from the event benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks.

Ronald McDonald House Supporter

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to ensure the success of this event. If you’re interested in helping, contact Melanie Ball at 417-875-3501 or Melanie.

Ball@RMHCozarks.org.

Highland Springs / Holiday Décor by Dene Myers Designs and Ellecor

Shawn & Trish Whitney Highland Springs Holiday Décor by Haden Long, Ellecor

We are grateful to the following sponsors that have provided generous contributions that will support our Ronald McDonald Houses and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.

Presenting Sponsor:

Supporting Sponsor:

Leadership Sponsor:

Contributing Sponsor:

Foundation Sponsor

Clif & Gail Smart Meadowmere Place Holiday Décor by Gail Smart and Ron Johnson, The Thicket

From The

Staff Happy

Anniversary 1 YEAR Beka Rasor, House near Cox South Madeleine Sullivan, House near Cox South

5 YEARS Kathy Dennis, House near Cox South

10 YEARS Abigail Weitzel, House near Cox South

Heart of the House House Near Cox South Ann Adams Tyler Austin Elizabeth Bottorff Sheila Boswell Nadean Burnett Jillian Carlile John Carr Terri Carr Larry Chainey Nancy Clark Tyler Cockrum Sonya Connolly Caroline D’Andrea Tammi Davis Shannon Deakins Kathy Dennis Lynelle Dock-Peck Cheryl Douglas Blake Dowdy Judy Duncan Tessa Eldridge Brenda Ferris Clydene Freeman

Amanda Fronzaglia Calan Froula Madison Gibson Becky Gillham Shawn Gott Ashley Grady Amy Grubaugh Dorothy Harlan Darren Harrelson Laura Harrelson Mackenzie Harrelson Karen Hill Gracie Holt Lisa James Briana Jenkins Derek Johns Levi Kemp Becky Lang Shawn Lowery Austin Marlowe Eileen Meinsen Larry Meinsen Mackenzie Meyers

Madison Mickan Sandy Morris Nolan Musick Jordan Myers Samantha Olive Asha Parvathaneni Karla Peck LeRoy Peck Julie Prod Kay Prost Jessica Rawlings Beka Razor Rebecca Reser Cliff Ricketts Jan Ricketts Savanna Roberts Joe Roushdi Timothy Schmelz Anne Schubert Debbie Slocum Randy Slocum T.J. Slocum Alyssa Smith

House At Mercy Kids Stephanie Bube Jennie Crabbe Sean Copeland Sandy Emberton Mason Gaspard Ashley Green Terry Greer Ann Griesemer Brenda Havens

Jenni Jacka Lillian Jacka Leah Jackson Danielle Kelly Jenna Kinyon Ami Le Hannah Le Brady Marshall Kassie Medina

Madison Mickan Jianna Mills Kiera Mills Krista Mills Rebekah Mitts Marel Morris Alexis Mundell Tracie Nicholson Kate Okland

Mary Smith Richard Sowell Grace Stagner Kim Stagner Hannah Stash Madeleine Sullivan Kaden Sumter Aly Thomas Anna Trenkamp Violet Turner Ava Uzzell Sondra Uzzell Tristen Uzzell Garret Volner Carsten Warner Abigail Weitzel Lucy Weitzel Joanna Weitzel Scott Weitzel Travis Weitzel James Winstead Meghan Zengel

Jamie Phariss Sarah Phillips Keely Richter Megan Siebert Carley Swisher Madeline Urhahn

Welcome, New Volunteers To Houses We are thrilled to welcome the following volunteers to our Ronald McDonald Houses: Tammi Davis, Ashley Green, Austin Marlowe, Carley Swisher, Carsten Warner

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. ©2018 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 Tooth Truck Program Director Mindy Muñoz Project Manager Amber Price Assistant to the President Debbie Kinser Development Assistant Kim Booth Administrative Assistant Debbi Gafner

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH House Program Manager Laura Winstead Associate Program Manager Melanie Ball Assistant House Managers Karis Agnew Jacinda Canfield Emma Chadwell Savannah Keller Rebekkah Wall Sara Wilken

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS House Program Manager Ashley Burton Program Assistant Heather Hyde Assistant House Managers Danielle Exner Jacob Golden Sydney Helms Kennedy Keller Savannah Keller Hannah Major Jack Osborn Lacey Wildschuetz

Family Dinner

Birthdays October 6 Sean Copeland October 19 Savannah Keller Kennedy Keller

Spotlight

October 24 Judy Duncan

Fordland Church of Christ

October 28 Beka Razor

Let’s learn a little bit more about Fordland Church of Christ.

October 30 Leroy Peck

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

Our first time at the Ronald McDonald house was September 2017, and we have come every month since then except for one.

How did you get involved with the Family Dinner Program?

My son had surgery in St. Louis and my family stayed at a House there. It was so nice having a meal ready for us each night and not having to worry about what we were going to eat. I thought it would be a great thing to get the young ladies at church involved in.

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

Helping families when they are in a time of need. The people who stay here already have so much going on, and doing something as simple as cooking a meal for them can make their day so much easier.

We also meet a lot of families with babies in the NICU. I was born at 29 weeks and spent 60 days in there. Sometimes sharing my story with families gives them hope when they need it the most.

Do you have any favorite memories from your volunteer experience?

We enjoy it all!

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

Definitely do it!! I wish we would have gotten involved sooner than we did! It is so easy and so important to the families staying at the house. Even if you just go every few months, it’s still a great thing to do. We look forward to our night there every month. I promise you won’t regret it!

Dinner Groups RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE NEAR COX SOUTH September Meal Groups Battlefield United Methodist Church Buffalo McDonald’s Cerner Si3 Chesterfield Ward Church of Jesus Christ Ladder Day Saints Covenant Presbyterian Cox Post Anesthesia Care Unit Culvers

David Delue Destiny Church of Marshfield Fed Med Dialysis Staff Fordland Church of Christ Fremont Elementary Hamilton Family Hillcrest Presbyterian Church Just Friends Knights of Columbus Knights Templar

Missouri State University Student Nursing Organization Missouri State University Women’s Golf Team Oak Grove Assembly of God Randi Kerr and Friends Rasey Family Second Baptist Church Second Baptist Sunday School Class Strouse-Ramsey Family

The Girlfriends Unity of Springfield Open Dinner Dates: November: 10th, 14th, 23rd

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT MERCY KIDS September Meal Groups Ash Grove UMPC Billings United Methodist C.H. Robinson Chris & Cindy Christ Community Church Courageous Church East Sunshine Church of Christ Fair Grove NHS

Heather & Austin Houlihan’s Jayne Markin Jordan Valley Figure Skating Club Julie Pappenfort Kennedy & Christiane Keystone Club Little Caesars Pizza Lois & Jessica

Louise Morgan Mercy College of Nursing Student Organization MSU Pre-PA Society MSU PT Ravenwood Assisted Living Turning Point Church Union Hill Church of Christ Wellington Hills Friends Wilson Family

Wonders of Wildlife Open Dinner Dates: October: 31st November: 3rd, 17th, 24th

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Wish List

Around the Houses

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

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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Mission Moment Due to complications during pregnancy, Jamie Clark and her husband Joseph were not sure they would be able to carry their baby to term and experience a healthy delivery.

They are so grateful today to be welcoming their third child, Jaxon, into their family.

Though Jaxon was born by emergency cesareansection 13 weeks early, weighing only 2 pounds and 15 ounces, he is growing well and should be able to join his family at home soon.

Jaxon’s siblings, Joey, age 20 and Sammy, age 18 are looking forward to a new baby brother and plan to help their parents out with his care as much as they can. Jamie and Joseph spend most of their time at the hospital in the NICU with Jaxon, but they have been thankful to be able to call the Ronald McDonald House at Mercy Kids their “home-away-from-home” for the past six weeks. Having a comfortable place to relax and rest so close to Jaxon has allowed them to care for him around the clock and saved them many round-trips to their home in Dunegan, Missouri.

House Volunteer Spotlight Maddie Urhahn Maddie is a student at Missouri State University who started volunteering at the Mercy House in January of 2018.

Maddie is one of our many dedicated and hardworking volunteers at the Mercy House. Let’s learn a little bit more about her‌.

What is your favorite thing to do around the House?

I really enjoy cleaning the rooms.

What do you enjoy to do in your free time?

I like to read books and watch a lot of Netflix!

Extracurricular activities?

I work at Cox Hospital, am a member of Delta Zeta, am part of Crew at MSU and in the Pre-Physical Therapy Society.

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

Not in Springfield, but I volunteer at the Food Pantry back home.

How did you learn about the Ronald McDonald House?

I was searching for volunteer opportunities in Springfield. Google led me here!

Do you have any favorite memories?

Cleaning rooms with Sarah Phillips, another Mercy volunteer, last semester.

We had a lot of fun!

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with our organization?

I really like how involved everyone is here. Everyone is so open and genuine.

There are also so many opportunities for volunteers to be involved in.

Ronald McDonald Houses of the Ozarks House Near Cox South STATS August 2018 Families Served..............52 Nights..................................364 Families from Missouri................................44 Families from other states...........................8 Year to date....................296 Program to date..... 10,313

House At Mercy Kids STATS August 2018 Families Served..............42 Nights................................. 306 Families from Missouri................................35 Families from other states...........................7 Year to date....................288

Staff Stuff

Congratulations to both Melanie (Ward) Ball, Associate Program Manager at the Cox House and Heather (Jeude) Hyde, Program Assistant at the Mercy House on their recent weddings! Melanie and Austin Ball were married September 28th, and Heather and Austin Hyde wed September 29th. We wish you both all the happiness in the world as you begin your new married lives!

Program to date...... 2,661

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Heart Tooth Talk of the Truck Megan Blake Chelsea Breihan Tori Bridwell Emma Chadwell Stephanie Daniels Luke Ellickson Melinda Fielder Olivia Horton Susan Lemmon Connie McCarter Breanna Mareschal Melinda Thurman John Velo Chloe Williams

By Dr. Sarah Cimino

The smell of freshly-sharpened pencils, crayons and new backpacks can mean only one thing summer is over and school is back in session!

The Tooth Truck is busy seeing patients, making sure they have a sparkling clean smile to complete their back-to-school look.

Today we’d like to introduce you to one of our awesome Tooth Truck patients and take you through his final appointment as he achieved the coveted status of being Cavity Free!

We met 6-year-old Jayden at Mark Twain Elementary and were immediately impressed with his manners and bubbly personality. While many kindergarteners are still adjusting to the changes that come with being in the hustle and bustle of school, Jayden appeared to be taking it all in stride and greeted our staff with an enthusiastic smile at each of his five appointments.

Our Office Manager, Abbie, had the pleasure of escorting Jayden to and from the Tooth Truck for his final appointment. The Tooth Truck is able to utilize both our staff and our volunteers to retrieve kids from class and bring them out to the truck.

During this time our little patients love to act as the tour guide through the school and share details of their school day - Jayden is a big fan of recess!

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One of the highlights of our patients coming to have cavities repaired or protective sealants placed is finding out what movie they get to watch!

The Tooth Truck is equipped with computer monitors in front of the patients so that they can pop on a pair of headphones and enjoy a film

while the staff works to give them a movie star smile. The Tooth Truck relies on donations from the community to keep our movie selection up to date and our patients are always ecstatic when we have a movie that they haven’t seen yet.

For Jayden’s final appointment on the Tooth Truck he had two cavities addressed, a protective sealant placed on a permanent molar and a stubborn front baby tooth wiggled out. Many people are surprised to learn that the Tooth Truck is able do almost all of the same procedures as their own dental office (as in, one without wheels).

In total, Jayden had 7 cavities treated for a treatment value of over $3,300.

Another highlight of each child’s visit is definitely the selection of their prize for a job well done.

Since this was Jayden’s final visit, he was able to select from our drawer of larger prizes that we reserve for patients once they are cavity-free. This is another area on the Tooth Truck where we lean heavily on community donations to ensure that we have a wide selection of items for our patients to choose from. From new hair bows to Hot Wheels-style cars, coloring books to stuffed animals, our patients are the talk of their class when they return to school to show off their healthy new smiles and fun prize.

The final stop in Jayden’s journey to a healthy mouth was to see the person who was able to put all of the pieces together and ensure we were able to come to his school and have a successful stay - Mark Twain’s amazing school nurse, Debbie! Without the tireless efforts of each school’s nursing staff, the Tooth Truck wouldn’t have the tools necessary to identify the children in need of our services and navigate the daily school schedule.

Here’s hoping that all of our loyal readers (hi mom and dad!) are also having a great start to the new school year!

Welcome Delina The Tooth Truck is so excited to welcome Delina Nguyen to our team. Delina is a graduate of OTC’s dental assisting school and one day aspires to be a dental hygienist. She does an amazing job connecting with our patients and stressing the importance of proper brushing and flossing habits each and every day. Welcome on board the Tooth Truck, Delina!

Tooth Truck Wish List

Action figures Matchbox cars Hair accessories (clips, headbands) Chapstick Jewelry (necklaces, bracelets) Handheld games

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile of the Ozarks DVDs for older children Outdoor toys (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, sports balls) Walmart gift cards Beanie Babies Backpacks Lunch Totes

August 2018 Children Treated:...............114 Dental Appointments Provided:..................................160 Year to Date Dental Appointments:.................1,483 Program to Date Dental Appointments:..............54,272

New Volunteers on Board the Tooth Truck!

The Tooth Truck staff is excited to welcome three new volunteers to our team.

Chelsea Breihan

is a pre-dental student at MSU, majoring in psychology. She plans to attend dental school in the near future and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with our young patients on the Tooth Truck. Chelsea has served as a camp counselor at Camp Courage in the St. Louis area, and she has already jumped right into working closely with our patients during her first few shifts. We are excited to have you on the Tooth Truck, Chelsea!

Emma Chadwell

is very familiar with the RMHC programs. Not only has she volunteered with special events, such as the Grin Iron Classic, but she also works as an Assistant Manager at the Ronald McDonald House near Cox South. Emma loves working with children and has previous experience through the local Boys & Girls Club and working on the pediatrics floor of the hospital.

Emma is looking forward to applying the things she learns on the Tooth Truck to her future career in hygiene.

Welcome, Emma!

Breanna Mareschal is thrilled be the newest

volunteer for the Healthy Smiles Academy. She has worked closely with children while serving as a dental assistant for a local dental office over the last several years. She has already demonstrated that she’ll be a huge asset in encouraging children on the proper way to brush their teeth. We know students are going to really connect to her cheerful spirit, and we are happy to have you on our team, Breanna!

Program to Date Value of Treatment:....$15,081,895 Children Who Received Treatment: Great Circle Day Spring School Developmental Center of the Ozarks Boys & Girls Club Henderson Mark Twain Elementary Weller Elementary

STAFF

President & CEO Bonnie Keller Program Director Mindy Muñoz Healthy Smiles Academy Program Manager Tamra Thomas 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 Delina Nguyen Megan Sanders Part-Time Dental Assistant Kristi Terry On Call Dental Assistants Amy Baker

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Heart Beats

949 E. Primrose Street Springfield, Missouri 65807-5257

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Southern Living® Cookbooks on Sale Now! Dillard’s at the Battlefield Mall in Springfield is joining stores across the country in offering a special edition of the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities through their annual holiday fundraiser. Since 1994, Dillard’s has supported RMHC® with a fundraiser benefiting the Ronald McDonald House program. This exclusive, 288-page hardbound cookbook is filled with more

than 200 recipes and dozens of decoration ideas for Christmas plus seasonal gatherings.

This “must have” cookbook is available for only $10 and is available now in all Dillard’s stores nationwide, as well as online at www.dillards. com. You may also purchase your book at the Cup O’Cheer Holiday Tea & Market on November 16th at the Diamond Room. Proceeds from the local sale of the cookbooks will benefit Springfield’s two Ronald McDonald Houses.