Love Notes - Fall 2020

CHUCK’S CORNER
First and foremost, I hope this edition of our newsletter finds you and your family safe and healthy! We offer our
thoughts and condolences to all the families in our community who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 or other
causes and have been forced to mourn from a distance. To all the families with a loved one who had to have a
medical procedure without a family member at their side due to strict visitor policies, we are praying for you. We
hope you will take solace in knowing that your generosity helps our families avoid the pain of isolation on top of
the pain that comes from caring for a sick child. While our community hospitals initially restricted all visitors for
adult patients, caregivers were and are allowed for pediatric and neonatal patients. Our Ronald McDonald House
is here for all families caring for a child experiencing a medical emergency. We are beginning to again care for
families whose children are having previously delayed elective surgeries or follow-up visits.
I have gotten used to sanitizing my hands every time I walk in the door and washing them for at least 20 seconds
after touching or using common surfaces. I have gotten used to wearing my RMHWS-logoed face mask every
time I am out of my office in the House and out in public. I have gotten used to participating in a Zoom call at
least once per day.
What I will never be used to is the silence.
I miss the sound of a group touring through the House – when I knew which staff member was giving the tour
based on the story being told. I miss the sounds and smells generated by the Meals-from-the-Heart volunteers
preparing dinners. I miss our Welcome Center Volunteers directing families where to go to check-in or check-out.
Most of all, I miss the very loud commotion of families, volunteers, and staff members gathered tightly around our
Victory Bell, ringing it loudly and whooping it up for pictures and videos to celebrate a family going home with
their child after a long journey!
Stay safe and stay healthy! We look forward to the day when you, our volunteers and donors, are here inside the
House again to give us a great reason to ring our Victory Bell!
Chuck Kraft
Executive Director