Spring 2013 Newsletter - Ronald McDonald House Charities of

1100 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210
P: 315.476.1027 | F: 315.476.5022 | cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.org
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
paid
Syracuse, NY
Permit No. 999
Save the date!
5th Annual
Bella Casa
Celebrity
Fashion Show
Thursday,
May 2, 2013
Holiday Inn
Liverpool, N.Y.
away from home
Staiger Family Finds Comfort at the
New CNY Ronald McDonald House
Staff Members
Beth M. Trunfio,
Executive Director
Jennifer Saraceni Leitgeb,
Development Director
Joe Walsh,
Business Manager
Lee Wilder,
House Program Manager
Brian Hayes,
Special Event Coordinator
Karen Hynes,
Administrative Office Assistant
Anne Dashnaw,
Housekeeper
home
A publication of Ronald McDonald House Charities®
of Central New York..
Our hearts
always
have room
for more .
Visit cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.org
to sign up for our new e-newsletter
Community Support
The Groton American Legion has supported the
CNY Ronald McDonald House for many years. The
organization collects hundreds of dollars in wish list items
throughout the year and delivers them to our House. We
are very thankful for the group’s continued commitment
to Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY.
It was a very special day when the staff at the State
University of New York College of Environmental Science
and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) invited Ronald McDonald House
Charities of CNY to join them at their holiday celebration
before winter break. The celebration included a craft
fair, along with hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats and more.
They also presented our organization with boxes of gifts
and wish list items that they had collected throughout
the semester for our guest families.
At the event, Dr. Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., president of
SUNY-ESF, spoke about our organization’s mission and the
persistence required to build such an amazing new facility.
Dr. Murphy then presented us with the collected gifts
and an additional check to support the families at the
new House.
This was a great holiday surprise for us and we are very
thankful for the continued support from SUNY-ESF.
Cheri and Don Varn of Baldwinsville have been making
regular trips to the CNY Ronald McDonald House for
more than 30 years. They provide much-needed support
for our guest families by delivering baked goods and
wish list items to the House.
save the date
Kim’s Walk of Hope
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Rockport, Mass.
Racing for
Ronald McDonald House
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Oswego Speedway
Oswego, N.Y.
Christmas in July
July 2013
New York State
Trap Shoot Event
Friday, July 12, 2013
Cicero, N.Y.
Artie’s Party at
Syracuse Nationals
Friday, July 19 –
Sunday, July 21, 2013
New York State Fairgrounds
Event to benefit RMHC of CNY
10th Annual RMHC of
CNY Invitational
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Turning Stone Resort
and Casino
Verona, N.Y.
12th Annual
Homecoming Party
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Location: TBD
Empire State Marathon
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Syracuse, N.Y.
Notre Dame Football Game
Ticket Raffle
Raffle tickets will be sold in
August and September
Notre Dame vs. Navy game is
on Saturday, November 2, 2013
For more information about upcoming events, visit
www.cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.org.
For ticket, advertising and sponsorship information on any
of the above events, contact Brian Hayes at 315.476.1027 or
[email protected].
Grace and Gary Staiger, of Binghamton, N.Y.,
welcomed triplets, Michael, Matthew and
Joseph, on Nov. 11, 2012, at Crouse Hospital in
Syracuse. They were born at Crouse due to the
high risk of Grace’s pregnancy and the care the
babies would need when born. After the babies
were born, a social worker at Crouse informed
the Staigers about the CNY Ronald McDonald
House®. They began staying at the House on
Nov. 15. The family stayed with us until New
Year’s Eve, when the babies had gained sufficient
weight and increased lung development, so
that they could be released back to UHS Wilson
Medical Center to continue their care. The
Staigers recently brought the triplets home and
are enjoying life with their three new additions!
30th Anniversary
Celebration and Annual
Homecoming Party
This fall, we celebrated our 30th anniversary in style as 360 guests attended
our annual Homecoming Party at the SRC Arena and Events Center at
Onondaga Community College on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. The McDonald’s
Operators Association of Central New York and Northern Pennsylvania was
honored at the event for its support of Ronald McDonald House Charities
of CNY since the very beginning. For the award presentation, Emcee Matt
Mulcahy, of CNY Central, was joined by Beth Trunfio, executive director
of Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, Board President Chris Geiger
of CNY Central, and former guests of the CNY Ronald McDonald House,
Lindsey Larkin and Victoria Tillinghast. Victoria’s mother, Sandra, gave a
heartwarming speech to thank the honored guests on behalf of all the
families who have stayed at the CNY Ronald McDonald House.
The event grossed more than $94,000 to support the ongoing operations
of the CNY Ronald McDonald House. The attendees bid on nearly 200
silent auction items donated by local individuals and businesses, and
Bernie Brzostek of Brzostek’s Auction Services Inc. led the live auction.
A special thanks to our event sponsors: KPMG LLP; Neonatal Associates
of CNY, JGB Enterprises Inc., Constellation Energy Group Inc., Crouse
Hospital, and GEICO.
1100 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 | cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.org
Spring 2013
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Central New York
© 2013 McDonald’s
Chris Geiger, President
Leola Rodgers,
1st Vice President
Aaron D. Hugo,
2nd Vice President
Patrick D. Leitgeb,
Treasurer
Kathleen Kotz,
Secretary
Steven Gross, MD
Justin Hummel
Douglas K. Lattner
Yvonne Annese LoRe
Mike Madigan
Maureen E. Maney
Hon. Anthony J. Paris
Henry Pearl
Mark Renquin
Jonathan V. Riddell, MD
Matt Schiro
Colleen M. Schmidt
Brian Sickora
© 2013 McDonald’s
2013 Board of Directors
letter
from the director
Dear Friends,
The new CNY Ronald
McDonald House has officially
become a home. Since opening
our doors a few months ago,
we have already exceeded
the capacity of the old House,
and been able to serve even
more families. With full
handicap accessibility, we have
been able to accommodate a
greater variety of needs, such as women with highrisk pregnancies and children receiving outpatient
treatments. We are grateful to be able to serve so
many families at our new House, including the Staiger
family, who are on our cover.
It took many hearts to make this home and we
are thankful for everyone that has shown their
commitment to the CNY Ronald McDonald House
throughout our capital project, and since the
organization’s inception. The reality of a new House,
along with the ability to have served more than
17,000 families over the past 30 years, would never
have been possible without the involvement from so
many individuals, community members, businesses
and organizations. It is your dedication that has
helped to keep so many families together during such
difficult times.
With a larger home and more families to serve each
day, your continued support is more important than
ever. It is our hope that the community and our
donors will continue to help Ronald McDonald House
Charities of CNY provide a place for families to find
respite, and a sense of home and comfort when they
are going through the unimaginable.
As always, thank you for your help in keeping
families exactly where they belong…Together.
Thank You
Thank you to all the individuals and
groups who continue to dedicate their
time and talents to raising money for
“The House That Love Built.”
Colonial Inn, Covington, Pa. – Breakfast with Santa
$353.00
Empire State Marathon – The Empire Flyer Run
$813.09
Georgetown Fire Department, Georgetown, N.Y. – Motorcycle Ride
$490.00
Jennifer and Rory Gilhooley – Lemonade, cookie and brownie sale stand
$35.00
Megan Golden – Bake sale
$65.00
Joyce Arms – Partners’ Ride in memory of James Arms
$425.00
Menter, Rudin & Trivelpiece, P.C. – Wear Jeans on Friday
$125.00
National Association of Educational Procurement, Upstate NY Region –
Basket raffle at regional conference
Remember Our
Donation Boxes
Whether you’re driving through
or dining in, please remember our
charitable donation boxes at your
local McDonald’s. Your spare change
directly supports the children and
families of Ronald McDonald House
Charities. The donation boxes are
one of the largest fundraisers each
year for our local organization.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY has
recently been named the new beneficiary of the
proceeds from “Artie’s Party” at the 2013 Syracuse
Nationals. The three-day classic car and truck expo
will be held at the New York State Fairgrounds Friday,
July 19 through Sunday, July 21. While thousands
of classic car and truck enthusiasts move about the
NYS Fairgrounds, a team of pinstripe and airbrush
artists will create one-of-a-kind, hand-painted items
in the Horticulture Building. This Syracuse Nationals
tradition is known as “Artie’s Party,” where assorted
items ranging from cars to guitars are uniquely
customized and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
All proceeds from this year’s auction panel jams will
benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY.
Stay tuned for more information!
$1,000.00
Paul V. Moore High School – Teachers assistants’ scarf sale
$125.00
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry,
Quality of Worklife Committee – Employee fundraiser
$310.00
Trexx Nightclub – “Home Is Where the Heart Is” variety show
organized by Robert Wilmot
$525.00
Walt’s Hobby Shop – 25th Annual Billy Leader Memorial Race
$2,850.00
External fundraisers, both big and small, are a tremendous source of support for the CNY Ronald
McDonald House every year, and they can be very easy to hold. Thinking of supporting the CNY
Ronald McDonald House by holding a dress down day at work, setting up a bake sale in your
neighborhood with the kids, or going on a bowling outing with your co-workers? Visit our
website and fill out a Host Application form and we will help you get started on your own event.
Notre Dame Raffle
At the end of the summer, we held a raffle for two
tickets and a parking pass to the University of Notre
Dame vs. Michigan football game in South Bend, Ind.,
on Sept. 22, 2012. The raffle raised $1,650.
The winner of the raffle was David Stedman of
Chadwicks, N.Y. David’s parents stayed at the CNY
Ronald McDonald House 20 years ago while David’s
brother underwent heart surgery at a local hospital.
Be on the lookout for more information this fall, when
we hold another raffle for tickets to the Navy football
game at Notre Dame on Nov. 2.
Donations made from Sept. 1, 2012 through Feb. 1, 2013
We
Appreciate
Your
Continued
Support
The CNY Ronald McDonald
House Is Raising The Dough
Volunteer Curt Czarniak arrives at the CNY Ronald
McDonald House every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. to
bake a variety of breads for our guest families. Curt
is newly retired and enjoys making artisan bread
from scratch. Every Wednesday by 9 a.m., the House
is filled with the wonderful smells of homemade
bread. Curt and his bread-making talents have been
a wonderful addition to our new home.
Dining at The
New House
Delicious dinners have been in full
swing at the new CNY Ronald McDonald
House. Not only do we have amazing
restaurants in our community that
donate dinners each month, but there
are local organizations that also help
provide homemade meals for our guest
families. The Syracuse University Student
Association recently prepared a great
dinner that included chicken, vegetables
and homemade desserts. To make or
donate a meal, contact Lee Wilder at
[email protected].
Baldwinsville Big Chill
Another Success!
For $20 a night, we continue to provide a place for families to lay their heads
at night and warm, home-cooked meals, a fully stocked kitchen, free parking
and all of the comforts of a typical home. Your continued support makes this all
possible and keeps more families together during these trying times.
To learn more about our new House and to show your support by donating
items from our wish list or making a monetary contribution, visit
www.cnyronaldmcdonaldhouse.org.
Beth Trunfio
Executive Director
We Are Joining Artie’s Party!
Our First Family
The first family to check into the new House was
3-year-old Louis-Lensky Augustin and his father,
Lou Augustin, from Haiti. With the Augustins and
many other families that have stayed with us, we
have already exceeded the capacity of our old
House, and been able to serve even more in need.
This year’s Baldwinsville Big Chill featured a variety
of winter events including a Polar Bear Plunge. The
event was a huge success, raising $8,500 for Ronald
McDonald House Charities of CNY. A big thank you
to the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce
and the committee of volunteers involved with
the Chamber, the Village of Baldwinsville, Village
of Baldwinsville Fire Department, the Greater
Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps, the New York State
Trooper dive team and the many local businesses that
help to make this event safe and fun for the whole
family. Thank you to the Baldwinsville community for
embracing the Big Chill event and for supporting the
CNY Ronald McDonald House. Another big thank you
to the Big Chill major event sponsors: CNY Central,
Lamar Advertising, Tops Friendly Markets, Pathfinder
Bank, Empower Federal Credit Union, Noble’s Tire City,
and La Tresse Salon & Spa.
Leave a Legacy
For more than 30 years, Ronald McDonald House
Charities of CNY has helped thousands of children and
families gain access to the health care they need. And,
we couldn’t do it without you. With your continued
help, we can change children’s lives for years to come.
With just a little planning and a big heart, you can
arrange a charitable plan that brings hope and help to
sick children and their families. For more information
about making a Planned Gift to Ronald McDonald
House Charities of CNY, please call Jennifer Leitgeb,
at 315.476.1027.
Many thanks to all the individuals and groups who dedicate their time and talents to raising money for “The House That Love Built®.”
Kids Helping Kids
Wellwood Middle School in Fayetteville recently collected hundreds of
individually wrapped snacks for our guest families. They also took the time
to handwrite special “get well” notes for families staying at the House with
ill children. The students and staff of Wellwood Middle School have chosen
Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY as their charity of choice for the
2012-2013 school year. They will be holding fundraising and volunteer activities
for us throughout the year and their goal is to raise $5,000 for the CNY Ronald
McDonald House!
Adeline and Zachary Costanza (top right), along with their mom, stopped
by the new House for a quick tour and to deliver some delicious treats. The
brownies and cookies were enjoyed by all!
Guest Family
Returns for a Visit
Former guest Jordan Pike and her
daughter, Payton, recently stopped in
for lunch at the CNY Ronald McDonald
House. Jordan was taking her daughter
to a follow-up appointment and
wanted to see our new House. She was
very surprised to see how beautiful
and comfortable the new House is!