Submitted by: Ken Welter

We had a great turnout for our quarterly Ronald McDonald House dinner preparation on Tuesday, November 3rd!

When I posted the event, I was hoping to get five or six people to respond and lend a hand. I certainly wasn’t disappointed! Answering the call were two first-timers, Jim Pohlman and Tom Kelly. Also on hand and ready to help were Steve Baker, Bob Born, Christopher Beahm, Alan Hautly, Lorenzo Squellati, and Wes Sebacher. What a great group!

Our menu is the same each time, and it’s always a favorite: Cowboy Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans with onions and bacon, gravy, dinner rolls, and chocolate chip cookies.

I arrived early to get things prepped, Lorenzo arrived shortly afterward to help process the breading for the meatloaf. Later, he took charge of the mashed potatoes and pitched in where he could. Bob Born got busy sautéing onions and preparing the green beans. Tom handled the cookies, while Steve, Alan, and Jim tackled peeling and preparing the potatoes. Wes took care of the gravy, and with help from Wes and Bob, I got the meatloaf prepared.

With everyone pitching in, we had everything ready by 6:00 p.m. Several families arrived right away and dug in. A few more showed up as we were serving. It’s truly heartwarming to meet these families, hear some of their stories, and know that we’ve helped make their day just a little easier with a home-cooked meal.

We prepare enough food to feed about 40 people, although many of the families we serve are busy at the hospital caring for their children and can’t always make it to dinner. Any remaining food is packed into to-go containers. Families arriving later in the evening, and sometimes even in the middle of the night, can return to the house tired and hungry and still have a warm meal waiting for them. It’s a small gesture that can make a big difference.

Once we knew everyone had been served, it was finally our turn to sit down and enjoy dinner together. And what else would a group of fly fishermen talk about? Fishing, of course!

After dinner, it was time to tackle the cleanup. Dishes, pots, and pans were washed, and all the surfaces were cleaned up. Another successful evening was in the books!

Mark your calendars! Our next Ronald McDonald House dinner will be Tuesday, February 2nd. Keep an eye out for an email in early January with more details.

And remember, it isn’t just about the fly fishing!

 Ken Welter