RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHATTANOOGA
We did our part!!!!!
I had a pretty good run of it when I lived in Dalton, Ga. When I arrived, I was practically broke, but I received some good breaks along the way. Overall, luck was on my side, and I am always grateful. I always try to give something back to the community.
I developed some wonderful friendships, had lots of fun, ran a successful business, and made my mark on the community.
In my earlier life, I had a dear friend who had become a pediatric nurse. It would be fair and non-offensive to say that she was my first true love. We stayed in touch for many years and had a profound effect on each other’s lives. One day she told me about her participation with The Ronald McDonald House in the area where she was employed. It was suggested to me as a viable charity. The informal presentation impressed me, and I made a mental note of the discussion. It sounded as if it was an outstanding institution.
For the information of all, Ronald McDonald's was created to provide lodging for families of hospital confined children who were from out of town.
It is a great organization and was reliant on donations and sponsorships. Dupont Chemical out of Deleware was at one time the most significant sponsor.
Word came to me that there were plans to construct a Ronald McDonald House in Chatanooga, just twenty-five miles away from Dalton. Knowing the purpose of the institution, I decided to do some research regarding its creation. With Dalton’s proximity to Chattanooga, it was apparent that Dalton would most likely benefit tremendously from the establishment of the Ronald McDonald House. So I decided to get involved.
I met with the people in Chatanooga who were spearheading the project and inquired whether they had planned to include participation from any outlying areas such as Dalton, Ga. I was shocked to find they hadn’t given it any thought. These people were a bunch of “do-gooders” without a clue. They were all civic fundraisers for the Heart Association, the Cancer Society, and the Chamber. You know the type, social and political climbers. Surprisingly they missed the concept of what RMD was all about.
I requested that they permit me to create a committee for the construction of the Ronald McDonald House in the city of Dalton, and they enthusiastically agreed.
I planned to get the ball rolling and eventually turn the project over to the local Dupont Yarn people. They already had a corporate relationship with RMH and had more clout with some of the larger mills in the area than I did.. In other words, they could elicit more and more significant donations.
The original committee consisted entirely of employees of my company. Our most enormous challenge was to make the local citizenry aware of the institution and its value to the community. It was sad that such a worthy organization remained so unknown. Like the Dalton Superintendent of Schools, most everybody thought it was a halfway house for drug offenders. So our first job was to educate the public about the project. Our second task would be to do some intense fundraising.
I was so proud of the enthusiasm my committee displayed. The team had gotten the message, and they organized an assault on the community. Within two weeks, the entire city became aware of the Ronald McDonald House. Donations and support came pouring in. We were on local TV, signs were posted all over, cocktail parties were given, we had an auction of donated gifts from merchants, and I sponsored and hosted a fashion show at the Dalton Golf and Country Club. The event was a standing-room-only affair and raised some impressive revenue.
Shortly after the fashion show extravaganza, I turned the committee leadership over to the Dupont Yarn people. Most of the heavy lifting had already been done well by my group of warriors.
Eventually, the construction was completed. Our contribution had put the project over the top. My group and I received accolades and lots of publicity. We were also given plaques of appreciation. Because of our effort, the main room of the house was named the Dalton Room.
As a side benefit of creating the committee, my employees not only enjoyed themselves, they became an extremely cohesive group who operated like a well-oiled machine. Our efforts went well beyond a working environment. It was a wonderful experience for all and gave a fantastic group a well-deserved sense of tremendous pride.
My old friend is gone now, and even though she knew of my involvement, I think she would have been delighted to see the outcome of our conversation regarding the Ronald McDonald House. She was unaware of how successful the project was and to think it started with a casual conversation.
