In the News
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Media Contact: Wayne Wurzer
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Recent News Releases
4/16/07 - BOB’S BROWN BEER RELEASE HONORS FORMER RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE RESIDENT. Bob's Beer Release Party at Nickerson Street Salon in Fremont features the limited once-a-year release of Bob’s Beer, a draft microbrew from Georgetown Brewing Company, named in honor of Bob Hirsch, who died of cancer in 2005. Bob Hirsch battled cancer nearly two-thirds of his life, spending some of that time at the Ronald McDonald House in Seattle. 100 percent of the proceeds from Bob’s Beer sales will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska in honor of Hirsch.
3/1/07 - A DAY AT THE RACES.
A benefit for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska.
Proceeds directly support operations of the Seattle Ronald McDonald House, providing families with seriously ill children undergoing medical treatment in Seattle with a “home-away-from-home” close to the hospital, regardless of their financial situation.
WHEN: MAY 12, SATURDAY. Races begin at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Emerald Downs Racetrack,
Auburn 98001
Learn more.
2/22/07 - CELEBRITIES AND LOCAL COMPANIES SKATE IN HOCKEY CHALLENGE 2007.
TV and movie actors skate to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska.
Fans will see stars when they show up for the 9th Annual RMHC Hockey Challenge 2007, an annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Western Washington & Alaska on Saturday, March 3, beginning at 10:30 a.m.. It has raised more than $3 million for the Seattle Ronald McDonald House over the past eight years. Movie and TV actors will match up with local teams and National Hockey League alumni players to play a Celebrity All-Star game capping a day of hockey. TICKETS: $20, includes entry to Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Portland Winter Hawks game. For tickets, call 448-PUCK.
Scheduled to appear are Tom Arnold (Pride, True Lies), Paul Guilfoyle (CSI), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville), Jason Thompson (General Hospital),
Cameron Bancroft (24: Day 4, Hockeyville on CBC), Brian Basset (Red and Rover and Adam @ Home, cartoonist), Kelly Stephens (2006 U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey bronze medalist), Bill Wixey (KCPQ news anchor) and former Seattle Thunderbirds alumni: Corey Schwab, Jamie Huscroft, Pat Smith, Al Kinisky, Brett Duncan and Lloyd Shaw. Read more.
2/22/07 - SEATTLE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE DEDICATES NEW TEEN ROOM. John L. Scott Foundation donates money to give teens their own space. Life is not normal for the teens who call the Seattle Ronald McDonald House home. They seldom have the chance to hang out in their own space with other teens. That's about to get better. On Tuesday, January 23, 2007, RMHC will dedicate their new teen room, thanks to the generosity of the John L. Scott Foundation and other donors. The new Teen Zone was transformed from a former storage area. Read more.
12/7/06 - Longtime volunteer embodies true commitment to the Ronald McDonald House
Who: Larry Delaney, an Edmonds resident (Picnic Point) and RMHC volunteer
Why: As Ronald McDonald House Charities’ oldest volunteer (both in age and longevity), Larry comes in every Monday. Larry will celebrate his 19th anniversary as a volunteer in January 2007. He began volunteering at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House on January 30, 1988.
What: “Everything I do, I do long-term. It’s a pattern of my personality,” says Larry Delaney. Whether he’s talking about his career, his volunteer work or his wife of 39 years, Larry Delaney definitely does things long term. Larry will celebrate his 19th anniversary as a volunteer with the Seattle Ronald McDonald House in January 2007. He started volunteering in 1988 and saw the original Ronald McDonald House expand from accommodating 22 families to providing a “home-away-from-home” for up to 80 families each night. Read more
11/20/06 - Block Party Quilters accept Ronald McDonald House Charities' challenge to demonstrate their artistry. When Dianna Finnerty, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington, issued a challenge to the Block Party Quilters Club for quilts to enliven the halls of the original Ronald McDonald House, members responded with an array of amazing quilts. These handmade quilts will be juried and hung at the House, which is being refurbished. The Block Party Quilters have donated more than 2,800 quilts since 1988. Read more
Recent Press
4/27/07 - PUGET SOUND BUSINESS JOURNAL
SCENE photo
Comedian and actor Tom Arnold captained an All-Star Celebrity team at the Ronald McDonald House Charities Hockey Challenge 2007, hosted by the Seattle Thunderbirds at Seattle's KeyArena. The March 3 event raised $140,000 for RMHC of Western Washington & Alaska.
4/10/07 - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
PEOPLE WE OUGHT TO CLONE
Add Alex Ristuben, a senior at Gig Harbor High School, to the list.
For his senior project, he raised $2,400 that he'll donate to the Ronald McDonald House in the form of video games, DVDs, CDs, gift cards and other items.
Tonight he'll host a movie night at a newly opened teen room at the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from- home for the families of seriously ill children being treated at Children's Hospital.
Designed as a place for teens to hang out away from younger children, its amenities include a pool table, video game systems, sound system and computer. Judy Adams, manager of volunteer services, says teenage volunteers "give teens who live here someone to talk to. They bring a lot of energy to the house and a hope of what (a teen being treated for serious illness) can get back to," she says.
Volunteering provides perspective, she says, recalling the experience of one teen, then a high school junior hoping to play college basketball. An injury had sidelined her and forced surgery. She was understandably upset.
One day last spring the teen was helping with a craft project.
"What happened to your leg?" an 11-year-old girl, bald-headed from cancer treatment, asked.
The teen explained how crushed she was not to be able to practice.
"Oh my God. That is such a bummer," the little girl responded.
Sudden understanding flashed across the teen's face, Adams says. "She learned so much that day."
4/10/07 - PENINSULA GATEWAY
TEEN DONATES TO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
Alex Ristuben, a senior at Gig Harbor High School, knows it’s tough enough to be a teen without being sick and away from all your friends. That’s why he chose Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska as the project for his Senior Exhibition.
Since January, Alex has collected $2,000 to donate to the Seattle Ronald McDonald House in the form of videos, movies, games, CDs, DVDs, teen magazines, gift cards and other items that teens staying at the House can enjoy. So far, he’s purchased 80 movies (rated G, PG and PG-13), 20 video games including Wii games and the new Xbox Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution, plus DVDs and CDs.
Alex will host a teen movie night at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House to present the items he’s collected to the House and meet the teens. Prior to the movie, Alex, his brothers and his parents Susie and Erik Ristuben will join the families staying at the House for a dinner at the House prepared by the University Rotary Club, who regularly cooks dinners for the families staying at the House as part of the RMHC Family Meal Program.
3/3/07 - SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
TONIGHT'S MATCH-UP: THUNDERBIRDS VS. PORTLAND
Tonight's game is part of the ninth annual Hockey Challenge. Play begins at 10:25 a.m. for the charity event benefitting the Seattle Ronald McDonald House. The celebrity game will start following the game between the T-Birds and Winter Hawks and will feature Jason Priestley, paul Guilfoyle, Michael Rosenbaum and Shoreline native and Olympic bronze medalist Kelly Stephens.
3/2/07 - THE SEATTLE TIMES
T-Birds Change
Saturday night's game against the Portland Winter Hawks at KeyArena will start at 6:05 due to the Hockey Challnege Celebrity All-Star Games. All proceeds from the games go to the Ronald McDonald House Charity. The Hockey Challenge has raised more than $3 million for RMHC over the past eight years. The T-birds are also selling a DVD of their visit to the Ronald McDonald House. Celebrities inlcude actors Tom Arnold, Michael Rosenbaurm and Paul Guilfoyle.
2/28/07 - KING TV AND KONG TV
Morning News Reporter Tim Robinson reported on the upcoming RMHC Hockey Challenge, combining a visit to the Seattle Ronald McDonald House where he interviewed several families to the ice rink where he spent time talking with players competing in the challenge. Hockey Challenge is an annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska.
12/22/06 - THE ENTERPRISE (LYNNWOOD, MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, EDMONDS, MULKILTEO)
Helping others is the coin of his realm.
From Ronald McDonald House to Snoqualmie Pass Larry Delaney will lend a hand
On a recent rainy Monday, Larry Delaney counted coins, as he does every week, inside a place he's been returning to for 19 years, a refuge for mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. Since 1987, Delaney has volunteered his services Mondays at the Ronald McDonald House. There, families of children receiving treatment for a variety of debilitating conditions at the nearby hospital find a home away from home.
12/15/06 - KING COUNTY JOURNAL
Comforting children with cancer since 1988.
Block Party Quilters, an Eastside guild, has donated 3,100 quilts to children at the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for children. You can help support the project by donating money for supplies. Checks made out to Block Party Quilters and designated for the Ronald McDonald House Quilt project may be sent to P.O. Box 932, Redmond, 98073.
11/10/06 - SEATTLE TIMES
Here and Now: The royal touch
World Children's Day ambassador Sarah Ferguson, better known to the world as Britain's duchess of York, will visit children at Seattle's Ronald McDonald House on Friday.
She and children at the house will work with local artist Diem Chau to create an artwork that will be displayed at McDonald's locations throughout Western Washington and then auctioned off to benefit the local Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Her visit will mark World Children's Day at McDonald's.
11/6/06 - FOX SPORTS NORTHWEST TV/SONICS
Watch Seattle Sonics player Rashard Lewis as he visits the Seattle Ronald McDonald House for a movie night with the children and their families. Before the movie, he played hoopsand air hockey, then signed autographs in the playroom.
11/05 - SPORTS PAGE MAGAZINE
View photos from the Sonics' Rashard Lewis Kids Movie Night at the Ronald McDonald House.
10/15/06 - KING 5 NEWS
Four-legged friend brings smiles to those who need one most. Arrow the golden retriever visits the Seattle Ronald McDonald House every week as part of the Delta Society's Pet Partners program. Arrow's owner Nina Brown has been making weekly visits since last December 2005. The children staying at the House really look forward to the dog's visits. Read the full story.