The Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem, Inc. celebrated its 24th birthday with a Groundbreaking Birthday Party! Supporters, guests, and dignitaries were on hand to break ground on a 14-bedroom addition to the Ronald McDonald House and to celebrate the milestone birthday.
The Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem provides a “home away from home” for families of children who are receiving medical care in hospitals in the Winston-Salem community. The ceremonial groundbreaking event was held on site at the current facility which will be expanded. Since 1984, the House has welcomed families and now serves almost 700 each year. Still, 350 families are turned away each year because there are not enough rooms. Thanks to the recently completed $3.5 million Campaign for Ronald McDonald House, which raised more than $3.8 million, an expansion will enable Ronald McDonald House to accommodate up to 700 more families each year and add a new Ronald McDonald Family Room at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. The House and Family Room programs offer physical comforts, emotional support, education, and referral services designed to promote the well-being of the whole family. Fundraising for the Campaign for Ronald McDonald House was led by campaign co-chairs Jean and Phil Waugh, Owner, Second Half LLC, and honorary co-chairs Betty and John Allison, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BB&T Corporation. Other members of the campaign cabinet were Steve Ashworth, Wachovia; Bruce Brown, Adele Knits; Allan Burrows, Capital Development Services; Cantey Alexander, BB&T; and Megan and Tom Lawson, Bank of America. The official groundbreaking is scheduled for spring 2009 and occupancy is planned for 2010. Steven M. Block M.B., B.CH, Professor of Pediatrics, Senior Associate Dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Ronald McDonald House Board member, said, “We never knew we needed a Ronald McDonald House until we had one. Now we can’t imagine life without it.”
Allan Burrows, a long-time board member and President of Capital Development Services, shared his passion for the cause by contributing campaign consulting services from CapDev to support the successful campaign. Laura Esleeck, Board of Directors President said, “Allan provided direction and orientation for all of us and we benefited greatly from his mentorship. Many members of the Capital Development team readily provided guidance and advice, and they all had a hand in our success.”
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