The newsletter provides information about the Downtown Optimist Club of St. Petersburg's volunteer activities at the Ronald McDonald House. It discusses that five club members volunteered to cook and serve dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing and support for families of sick children receiving medical treatment. The newsletter also provides background information on the Ronald McDonald House organization and its history of supporting families internationally since 1974.

1. Downtown Optimist Club A periodic newsletter of the
St. Petersburg - Downtown Optimist Club
North Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447
July 20, 2010
Meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm
Tick Tock Restaurant 8123 Fourth Street North, St. Petersburg (727) 498-8563
Interim Editor: Sharon Dennany, telephone 919-274-1311 or email: shar1558denn@yahoo.com
Today’
Today’s meeting at Tick Tock…I do not have anything to report
about the meeting on July 6th
other than the rain and the Rays game kept
a lot of people from attending. I understand there were only 5 who do
make it to the meeting. July has been a slow month with many members
away for the summer or summer vacations.
Instead of having a regular meeting on July 20th, five members
volunteered to go to the Ronald McDonald House to feed the families.
Ronald McDonald House…
House Rick
and
Jean Rutan, Lee and Judy Warnock and
myself volunteered at the RMH. There was
plenty of food, even though the dinner hour
seemed a little slow. The kitchen counter was
loaded with lots of pizza, pasta salads, baked
beans, deserts, and drinks. I got misty eyed
when Rick offered to say a prayer for one of
the parents. Her baby was born 8 weeks
premature and weighed only 1 pound. Now
the baby is up to 3 pounds.

2. Ronald McDonald House continued…
continued

3. Ronald McDonald House continued…
continued
Many families travel far from home to get treatment for their seriously ill or
injured children. The treatment may last a day, a month, or even longer.
It's a long time to be away from home, or to divide a family.
Ronald McDonald Houses around the world offer families a way to stay
together, in proximity to the treatment hospital, and be comfortable and
cared for during their stay.
Allow Families to Face the Weight of Illness Together
Families are stronger when they are together,
which helps in the healing process. By staying
at a Ronald McDonald House, parents also
can better communicate with their child’s medical
team and keep up with complicated treatment
plans when needed.
Allow Children to Get the Best Care
When your child is sick, you want the best care
possible - even if it is hundreds or thousands
of miles away. The Ronald McDonald House
allows families to access specialized medical
treatment by providing a place to stay at little
or sometimes no cost.
Services for Families
At every House, families can enjoy:
Home-cooked meals
Private bedrooms
Playrooms for children
Depending on the House, these services may also be available:
Special suites for children with suppressed immune systems
Accredited education programs
Recreational activities
Non-clinical support services
Sibling support services

4. Ronald McDonald House
continued…
continued
The generosity of volunteers and donors
make it all possible. In return, families
either stay at no cost or are asked to
make a donation up to $25 per day,
depending on the house. The RMHC
Global Policy is that families are never
turned away; if its not possible to pay, the
fee is waived.
At Ronald McDonald House Charities, we
owe our continued success to the tireless
work of volunteers and the countless
contributions from our donors. Because of
you, we’ve been helping improve the lives
of children and their families for 35 years.
Here are some of the historic milestones*
that you have made possible.
1974
The first Ronald McDonald House opens
in Philadelphia thanks to Dr. Audrey
Evans, Philadelphia Eagles’ player Fred
Hill (whose daughter, Kim, had leukemia),
Jim Murray, the Eagles’ general manager
and Ed Rensi, the McDonald’s regional
manager.
The McDonald’s owner/operators in
Philadelphia made the House possible,
donating proceeds from the sale of
Shamrock Shakes.

5. continued…
Ronald McDonald House continued
1984
Ronald McDonald House Charities is officially established in memory
of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, a strong advocate for children.
1994
Ronald McDonald Houses open in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and
Auckland, New Zealand, bringing the total number of Houses to 164
in 12 countries.
2004
Twenty more Ronald McDonald Family Rooms open, bringing the
number to 80 Family Rooms in 10 countries.
Twenty-three Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
programs operate in the United States
and Argentina.

6. continued…
Ronald McDonald House continued
2008
RMHC Italy opens a 31-bedroom Ronald McDonald House on
Vatican property. The House sits on a private beach, providing
serenity for families whose children are receiving care at Bambini
Gesu Children’s Hospital.
Atlanta’s 50-room Ronald McDonald House is the second built to
Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED)
specifications. The House includes a dedicated wing with 10
private, two-bedroom suites for families of children who are
recovering from bone marrow, heart, liver or kidney transplants.
RMHC is located in 52 countries and regions, with the newest
being a Chapter in Latvia.
Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles are newly operating in Thailand,
New Orleans and Colorado Springs.
*This is only a sampling of their history
Source: rmhc.org

7. Downtown Optimist Club of St. Petersburg
3558 100th Terrace
Pinellas Park, FL 33782-4100
The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself -
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the
presence of trouble.
CLUB OFFICERS DIRECTORS
President Gardner Harshman. . . . . . . . . . . 592-0243 Jim Sirrianna (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392-2718
Vice Pres. Scott Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535-6939 Viki Pena (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421-3721
Vice Pres. Vi Hayworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527-2656 Chuck Hayworth (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .527-2656
Sec/Treas. Lee Warnock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577-7159 Jean Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143
Sgt-At-Arms Jim Sirrianna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392-2718 Rick Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143
Chaplain Rick Rutan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522-6143 Judy Warnock (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458-8278
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Oratorical Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock
Essay Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Rutan
Programs/Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Rutan
Fellowship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vi Hayworth/Viki Pena
Poster Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jean Rutan
O.I. Foundation Rep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane Ridings
Respect for Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gardner Harshman
Youth Appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock
New Community Dev. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
Get Away Raffle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Easter Egg Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Scott Kaplan
Bell Ringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock