We enjoyed another wonderful dinner event at the Ronald McDonald House this week. As usual, I arrived early to organize the kitchen in preparation for the arrival of our FATC volunteers.
I’ve been fortunate to have Paul Jacoby continue assisting with these dinners. He mentioned how much he enjoys coming and staying connected with many of the regulars. True to form, Paul arrived early and immediately got to work helping with the initial prep.
Shortly after Paul, Harold Bates arrived. With Mike Bisaga unable to attend this time, I was especially glad to have Harold there. He and I have been involved in these dinners for over three years, and with Paul, Harold, and me working together, we had everything on track for dinner at 6 PM.
Joining us this time were Doug Smedley, Bob Born, Wes Sebacher, Steve Baker, Clint Marshall, and Vernon Preston. Doug, who’s helped in the past with this process, mixed the meatloaf with my help. Bob, Wes, and Steve tackled the task of peeling, cutting, and boiling the potatoes. As always, Harold took charge of the gravy and kept a close eye on the potatoes, overseeing the mashing and seasoning process to perfection. Meanwhile, our cookie expert, Vernon, baked the cookies and handled buttering and warming the rolls.
Everything was ready right on time. We always hope for a full dining room, and this time we had three or four tables of diners. Everyone was grateful for a home-cooked meal after a long day at the hospital. We always pack up diners in take-out containers for all the folks that come back to the house later in the evening.
I had the chance to speak with a young couple who told me they’d been staying at the House since early July. Their son had just undergone a successful surgery the day before, and they expected to take him home within the week. You could see the relief and joy on their faces as we talked. Nearby, I noticed Paul chatting with another family—as he often does. He seems to make new friends at every event and often keeps in touch even after families leave the House and hospital behind. It’s moments like these that remind me why we do this. It is truly a heart-warming experience.
As always, it was a rewarding experience for everyone involved. We all had a chance to dine together afterward. Then the clean-up process. We try to leave the kitchen cleaner than when we arrived.
If you haven’t volunteered before, please consider joining us at our next event on November 4th.
—Ken Welter
