This week I finally got to take the donations to Columbia. On Friday I picked up the donations at Shelter Insurance in Kahoka. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of donations at this location! I put them in a pile so that Ashley, the newspaper writer, could take a picture of me with the donations. She asked me a few more questions so that she could put a thank you note in the paper. Saturday I left my house at 8 and made it to Columbia around 10:30. My Mom, Grandma, and Aunt went with me as we had a bridal shower to stop by on the way home in Macon. When I arrived, two nice workers helped me unload the donations onto a cart and take them inside. I then filled out a card stating my contact information so that they could send me a thank you. They were amazed at my over 320 items! They said that the house had been very full lately will all 18 rooms occupied currently and that these donations will be very helpful. I felt so good to finally have all the donations dropped off and I am so happy that I was able to collect so much and help so many people in need. I had originally wanted to take a few pictures of the house but my schedule was tight in order to be back for the bridal shower so I did not have time. They were also very busy with it being fully booked and I would have felt intruding to bother all of these families. When I went the first time in 2016 and toured it was a better time because many families were out at appointments or at the hospital and the staff wasn't quite as busy. In future trips I would like to go on a weekday and maybe take some of my friends with me. When I went to church on Sunday I was surprised that there were more donations sitting in the corner where my box had been. I also had someone at church give me money as a donation. My Mom had posted on Facebook and another person had mentioned that she had a donation but she did not get it to me. My Mom replied but she never answered. Luckily I have an awesome Mom who is going to Macon for her job and said she would run down and take the new donation by. I am so appreciative of this because I would have felt badly if I could not have gotten the new donation to the house. I don't know if I didn't make myself clear about the cutoff date or what but next time I will try to do a better job of this. I did not anticipate having this problem but none the less the project was a great success. I am now working on sending out thank you notes personally to most of the contributors. Unfortunately, I do not know all of the people who donated but hopefully I can come up with addresses for many of them. Once again thank you all for reading and for those that were able to donate. I hope this inspires others to help people, even in small ways. One act of kindness can go a long way!

This week I have been collecting donations personally. I went to a doctor's office Monday to pick up some donations. Today I am going to a lady's house to pick up a donation. I have already picked up the donations from both of the local churches. One of the boxes did not have anything in it but I guess that's to be expected with a short time frame. I have collected 106 items so far! I am going to pick up the box in Memphis today and the box in Kahoka tomorrow. I am excited to see the impact the newspaper article has made on the number of items donated at these locations. My original plan was to ask for donations from businesses and distribute flyers but I haven't had much time for that so I hope the newspaper article will make up for it. I am surprised by what kind of items I have received the most of. I have a bunch of soaps, toothpastes, deodorants, and other toiletries.  I was expecting to receive more food donations but have rather had more toiletries. I am hoping the donation boxes I haven't collected yet will have more food items to round out the donation. I have received one handmade blanket that is not on the list but is still accepted. I have made blankets before and taken them to the Ronald McDonald House so I am glad that there will be a blanket in my donation. It is a John Deer pattern and I will post a picture of it along with a sampling of the other items I have collected so far. On Friday when I go to pick up the donation I am also going to meet with Ashley at the newspaper so she can take a picture of the items I have collected and write a thank you to the community to publish in the newspaper. I am really glad she had this idea. I think is very important to thank all of these generous people. I called down to the Ronald McDonald House to make sure it was ok for me to come this Saturday the 14th. They said that it was great and that they really appreciated it. I hope to take a few pictures of the house while I am there Saturday so that I can post them for you all to see. Thank you all for reading this and if you would like to donate there is still time! The donation box in Kahoka will still be available until Friday at 3:30 and I am more than happy to try to arrange a donation pickup elsewhere. Thanks.

This week I have been checking on the boxes and have collected a few items. I am surprised that I have more donations in the Memphis location than the Kahoka location. I believe this must be due to the fact that I called the collection information into KMEM and more people must listen to KMEM in Memphis than in Kahoka. I was able to contact the Hometown Journal newspaper in Kahoka, MO and sit down with one of their writers for an interview about my collection. On Friday I met with Ashley from the Hometown and she had a lot of great questions. We discussed the importance of organizations like the Ronald McDonald House. I provided her with a list of the items acceptable for donations. I also told her that I am extending the collection date to end Friday April 13th. I will then take the donations to Columbia on the 14th. I need to call ahead and inform them I am going to drop the stuff off that morning. Ashley also said that she would put my senior composite with the article so that people would recognize me. Hopefully this will bring in more donations as people will recognize me from previous school activities I have participated in. I will try and post a picture of the article on here once it publishes which should be early this week. I have checked on the box at my church and it has a few items in it. I have yet to check on the box at the Christian church in Wyaconda but I hope it has many donations also. I finally ordered some items on Amazon. I was able to get a good deal on my items because they were purchased in bulk and I had coupons. I also have free student prime so I did not have to pay for shipping. I planned on asking for donations from some businesses this week but am not sure how I am going to accomplish that because my week is pretty busy. Hopefully I will find time.

This week I am going to make flyers for my Ronald McDonald House project. I am going to disburse them all over Kahoka, Memphis, and Wyaconda. I have made my proposal and will attach it below so you all can read more about the amazing things the Ronald McDonald House does. I have also been researching more about other Ronald McDonald Houses and how the one in Columbia differs from those in other locations. There are 322 Ronald McDonald House locations  in 57 countries and regions. I had no idea that there were Ronald McDonald Houses in other countries. Some of the interesting countries I found out there were Ronald McDonald Houses in include Fiji, Ecuador, Honduras, Latvia, Malaysia, and Slovakia. It amazes me that so many countries are able to also have this amazing organization. I also learned that some families are required to pay $25 for their stay based on income but the house in Columbia does not require that. In 2016 the Ronald McDonald House helped more than 5.5 million families around the world. That is amazing! This makes it even more important to me knowing that the houses are more locally funded due to the number of houses the funds have to be divided by. I have yet to check up on my drop off locations in Memphis and Kahoka but I hope they are filling up. The drop off location at my office has a few things in it and I believe it will receive less donations than the other two because of the location being less populated. This week I went through my bathroom cabinet and found our collection of unused hotel shampoos, conditioners, and body washes to donate. This is a great idea for everyone to do! Every time you go to a hotel just bring your own shampoos and conditioners and pack home the little bottles. These bottles are a great donation to the house as the families use them. I never use the little bottles anyway because I prefer my own soap from home. I also found some free sample packets of shampoos and conditioners that came in magazines. I have recently started couponing! This is a great way to make the most of your donation! The newspaper has a lot of coupons that are items requested on the list of donations.  Websites also have many coupons and I have even stumbled upon some free sample requests. I hope my free samples come in before I take my donation to the Ronald McDonald House. I have also been looking on Amazon and you can get a lot of great deals on there. Especially when you buy in bulk which would be great for the house. Buying things like Clorox wipes, oatmeal, and snacks in bulk is nice because those things get used quickly. I am going to Shelter Insurance tomorrow and I am actually kind of excited to check on my box. I hope to get a lot of donations and am afraid that there will be nothing in the box. Don't forget you can also bring me donations before and after class. Thanks!

Formal Proposal Assignment

By: Danielle Townsend

            The Ronald McDonald House is a hotel like building that allows families who have children receiving treatment at hospitals in Columbia to stay there for free. The Ronald McDonald House provides each family with a room and a bathroom. The house is stocked with all the necessities a family needs including food and toiletries. There are also rooms including a TV watching room, library, and living areas that many families can relax in and talk with other families about their experiences. The Ronald McDonald House is fully equipped to care for families who need somewhere to stay while their children are receiving treatment.

Problem

The problem the Ronald McDonald House is having is that there are too many families in need of a place to stay while their child is receiving care at the hospital and not enough supplies to take care of these families. The Ronald McDonald House has hosted over 1,600 kids and their families who have stayed about 21,000 nights since 2013. That 63,000 meals per person! Food is not the only necessity the Ronald McDonald House provides. Guests also need toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toilet paper, towels, deodorant, toothpaste, sanitary pads, diapers, and wipes. The house also requires materials to clean up after all of the guests such as laundry detergent, sponges, cleaner, Clorox wipes, and glass cleaner. A ton of supplies are required to care for multiple families in one big house. The Ronald McDonald House is a non-for-profit organization. It receives no state or federal grants. They do not charge families for staying at the house, meals, or amenities. Therefore, they must rely on generous donations for all of their necessities. Ronald McDonald House workers are busy keeping up with the house and do not have time to collect donations. Therefore, it is necessary for people to generously give to the Ronald McDonald House and keep this great organization going.

Proposed Solution

I propose taking up a collection of items the Ronald McDonald House needs and delivering them to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia. This will help stock up the house’s pantry and provide for many family’s visit’s. I have placed donation boxes at both of my local churches, city hall in Wyaconda, Shelter Insurance in Kahoka, and the Memphis License Office in Memphis. In order to inform people of the collection I have made calls in to the radio station KMEM, and I plan on making flyers to disperse.  I hope to collect at least fifty items.

Justification

My proposal will help many families have a clean place to stay when their children are sick and receiving treatment from hospitals in Columbia, MO. These families will then be better equipped both physically and mentally to care for their sick child. This is very important because children rely on their families for support when they are sick and families are not able to give adequate support when they are not being supported themselves. Children will also be better prepared for doctor’s appointments. Some families drive hours to appointments in Columbia and may have to get up early to drive to the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House allows these families to stay the night prior to the appointment so they do not have to get up early and travel on the day of the appointment. This helps families be better prepared for their appointment and they will not be as tired. Families are also more alert and will better retain and understand the important information a doctor tells them.

Families are able to share their experiences with other families living at the Ronald McDonald House. There are communal rooms such as the library, TV watching room, and other living areas where families are able to hang out with other families. Children and parents meet new friends at the house and are able to relate to them. This allows families to feel like they are not alone in their situation and realize that other families are having the same difficult issues. The emotional support families receive is crucial to the overall attitudes the family members have and therefore the emotional support the sick child is receiving.

The Ronald McDonald House is a lifesaver for all families who stay there but especially the ones who come to stay on unexpected occasions. When a child becomes sick and requires an unexpected emergency surgery or doctor’s visit the Ronald McDonald House is able to quickly arrange for a stay. Families are able to rush to the hospital and not worry about bringing anything with them. They can leave all of their necessities at home because the Ronald McDonald House will provide for them.

The Ronald McDonald House is also very important to all families who stay with them because families save money that can go towards medical bills. Staying at a hotel can be expensive for a family so staying for free at the Ronald McDonald house saves many families money.  Eating out every meal can also be expensive so having the Ronald McDonald House provide all of the family’s meals is a big help to families. This is especially important to families with children who receive long term treatment. Some families stay at the Ronald McDonald House for many months and could not otherwise afford to seek medical care for their child. With medical bills piling up families can be less stressed about their food and shelter expenses and focus on the well being of their child.

It is important to donate to the Ronald McDonald House because you never know when your family or a family you know may be in the same situation as the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Giving back also helps you feel good about yourself and gives many people a sense of importance.

Based on all of these reasons, I believe that the Ronald McDonald House is a great organization that everyone who can should try and help out. Collecting donations helps fill a drop in the bucket of the amazing things the Ronald McDonald House does. Although donating does cost money it is well worth it when you think of all of the good you are doing through this great organization and every donation, no matter how big or small, helps.

Bibliography

“Ronald McDonald House Charities of Mid-Missouri.” Ronald McDonald House Charities of MidMissouri Home Page Comments, rmhcmidmo.org/.

I have finally decided on my project! I am going to collect donations for The Ronald McDonald House in Columbia, MO.  When Mrs. Todd said I could use twenty percent of the class for a project I had no idea what to do. I thought of learning how to crochet, making a piece of art, or sewing something but all of this sounded kind of like a chore and would require many materials that could be expensive. Then I thought I should use this time to help someone else. I love helping people and it makes me feel good. I researched online about a bunch of charities and I found the website of my favorite charity the Ronald McDonald house. The Ronald McDonald House is a place for parents and children to stay while a sick child or sibling is receiving treatment at the hospital. The Ronald McDonald House provides for all of the family’s needs including food, laundry, and personal care. It is a Godsend for families because they can concentrate on supporting their child and not worry about their own basic needs.  Families are able to better focus on taking care of their child and not worry as much about themselves. The house is near the hospital and has hotel like rooms for families, a kitchen, a laundry room, a playroom for kids, a library and all the amenities to take care of a family. I have helped the Ronald McDonald House before, in 2016 I made blankets for the children there as part of an FCCLA project and then again in 2017 I helped with an FCCLA project collecting pop tabs to take to the Ronald McDonald house. So, I thought why not help in 2018? I have been missing FCCLA lately and maybe this project would help me miss it just a little less. So, I took a box and lists of the donations the Ronald McDonald House needs with me to church on Sunday and my project began. After church I took another box and more lists to the neighboring church and they were more than happy to help.  Then I contacted my uncle who has a Shelter Insurance office in Kahoka and he said I could leave a box there. Next, I contacted my friend Taylar who works at the license office in Memphis and she said I could put a box there.  Finally, I put a box at my office, the Wyaconda City Hall. I made a group on Facebook with all of the details and my project was off to a great start.  I also called in to the local radio station kmem to spread the project details.
My tentative schedule looks like this:

Week 1

Set up blog

Week 2

Create Facebook group, make lists of the items needed for donations, take boxes to drop off locations, make radio announcement on KMEM

Week 3

Make and disburse informative flyers

Week 4

Go to businesses and ask for donations

Week 5

Pick up donations

Week 6

Take donations to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia and make presentation.

I hope to collect a lot of donations but I need your help. If you would like to donate please drop off your items at any of the designated drop locations or give them to me before or after class. The following items are donations recommended by The Ronald McDonald House:

Ongoing Wish List for

The Ronald McDonald House

House Pantry

• VISA/grocery store/Wal-mart Gift Cards
• Breakfast cereal
• Breakfast bars & Pop-Tarts
• Breakfast pastries and bakery items
• Snack items, individually wrapped (muffins, bagels, honeybuns, etc.)
• Coffee creamer
• Peanut butter
• Kids’ juice boxes
• quick lunches
• Hamburger helper
• Pudding mixes/cups
• Artificial sweetener
• Gift cards for local restaurants

Household and Cleaning

• High-efficiency liquid laundry detergent
• Liquid dishwasher detergent
• Disinfectant wipes
• Dryer sheets
• Glass cleaner
• Sponges
• Ziploc bags (all sizes)
• Trash bags (13+ gallons)
• Disposable hot and cold drink cups
• Tupperware
• Aluminum foil & saran wrap
• Kitchen dish towels
• Standing/oscillating fans
• Umbrellas
• Hair dryers

Personal Care

• Travel sized toothpaste
• Deodorant (men’s and women’s)
• Hand sanitizer
• Baby wipes & diapers
• Sanitary pads
• Travel sized shampoo, conditioner, and body wash

Monetary donations are also accepted and appreciated.

For the protection of  families we serve, we request that all donated items are new and unused. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

Hello I am Danielle Townsend a student at MACC in Kirksville, MO. I am from Wyaconda, MO and am the city clerk there. I am working towards my business degree. I am beginning a genius project/ genius hour for my Composition II class. During the next six weeks I will be working towards completing this project and updating you weekly. Through this project I will express my creativity and develop a new idea. Many people around the world are creating new ideas for the genius project. The genius project is all about stepping outside of the box and coming up with new ideas you are passionate about. Many people have come up with genius ideas relating to community service, technology, artistic endeavors and so much more! Through the genius project amazing creations blossom and I can't wait to see what creation I come up with! I have many passions and I am going to proceed in naming a few: dance, art, animals, singing, interior decorating/ design, community service, business, basketball, fashion, cooking, sleeping, watching movies and much more. I have many ideas to choose from for my project including the following: electronically creating/ design my own house, creating a music video, trying/cooking a new meal each week, designing an outfit, creating a new piece of art, creating a youth basketball team, designing my own business plan, starting a new community service project and many more. Check back next week to find out which project I will begin!