The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Tampa Bay, including the largest 34-bed downtown St. Petersburg location near All Children’s Hospital, are getting early holiday gifts from PJ’s Oyster Bar in St. Pete Beach, the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum and the 5th Annual Fishing for Hearts tournament sponsored by The TradeWinds’ Guy Harvey Outpost & Rumfish Grill.
Beverly McGahan at PJ’s told Paradise News, “Our donations to Ronald MacDonald House (RMH) began eight years ago when my brother Bret Umstead and wife Kelli bought the restaurant. Kelli’s sister and Mom stayed at the downtown RMH before her sister passed away, and it made a lasting impression on the family. Additionally, long-time bartender Billy Reilly’s Mom has worked there for many years. We began donating signed dollar bills pinned on our wall by willing donors to RMH and just delivered about $2,000 for this past year, with a total about $7,300 since we began.”
Sandy Lyman took leftover food from a recent Gulf Beaches Historical Museum dinner there and said they were very appreciative. The Museum is among many area groups that regularly support RMHC.
Keith Overton, TradeWinds Resorts President and CEO, told Paradise News, “We had 105 registered anglers for our October 15-16 Fishing for Hearts event with a gross $85,000 raised. Net profits will be shared between Ronald McDonald House Charities and Athletes for Hearts. Thanks to Skanska for helping us put together 33 boats for this event, 10 more than last year! They also found a donor for the fishing shirts, All Childrens Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine. Thanks also to Media sponsors Tampa Bay Times and Clear Channel Outdoors. Our Guy Harvey Outpost & RumFish Grill was pleased to be Venue sponsor.
“Guy Harvey joined us for the weekend and was very pleased to welcome three anglers from Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge, spots donated by GEICO: David Caras, Patrick Wickens, Ramesh Haytasingh, as well as Congressman David Jolly”.
“Anglers and captains joined us for a social, goody bag pickup and a fabulous buffet at the RumFish Grill on Thursday evening. Anglers received a custom fishing shirt and got their choice of Salt Life sunglasses, provided by Bimini Bay. Anglers received an overnight stay at the Guy Harvey Outpost as part of their sponsorship package so they could be up early to enjoy a delicious breakfast at RumFish before getting on the shuttle to Loggerhead Marina.”
“Captain Michael Anderson of Reel Animals Fishing handled team placements and he met the anglers at the marina for their assignments. Boats departed at 8:30 am and returned to the marina at 2:30 pm. Catches were reported through the Angler tournament app overseen by TJ Marshall and Don Roberts of the Coastal Conservation Agency. Awards were given for largest snook, trout, redfish, and grand slam, along with a new category for most fish caught. Guy Harvey was on hand to present the awards (framed Thomas Krause prints) to anglers and pose for photos while guests enjoyed another delicious array of RumFish Grill appetizers.”
Downtown RMH Donations
Karen Mathews, RMHC East House Manager, notes for Paradise News, “Located one block east of All Children’s Hospital, our 34-room, three story house as the largest of the RMH Tampa Bay houses, receive a good chunk of community donations. Additionally, groups (schools, churches, businesses) that have community service projects often come to the East House to complete service or make donations”!
“Some of our larger, more consistent or more significant recent donations include Suncoast Credit Union, $100,000 to cover the cost of the first floor renovation that is being completed now (new tile floors, kitchen remodel, back apartment renovations of four new rooms); ImageFirst – donates laundry service to all four RMH houses; Publix – every month, a different district store comes to prepare and serve dinner to our families; in April, Publix held a day of service and a crew came and renovated our back Reflection Garden.”
“Tampa Bay Rays – Monthly, a different department within the organization comes to prepare dinner; the Rays grounds crew completely re-sodded and landscaped our backyard play area; HSN – employees volunteer to help with house chores and prepare meals; they donated nine HP computers, 12 decorated Halloween pumpkins, 25 Easter baskets and a Christmas tree for the holidays complete with priceless ornaments; Local schools – Canterbury School of Florida and Shorecrest Prep School come monthly to prepare meals for families, and recently kids from Forest Lake Elementary donated a ton of pop tabs”.
“Among the many groups who have been coming every month to serve breakfast or dinner to our families: First United Methodist Church, Heritage United Methodist Church, Riviera Methodist Church, Seminole United Methodist Church, Glad Tidings Church, Bridgepoint Church, Pathways Church, Calvary Christian Church, Kingdom Harvest, Pass-a-Grille Community Church, ACH Guilds (Beach Branch, Seminole /Largo Branch), Sunshine City Kiwanis, Gulf Beaches Kiwanis, Breakfast Optimist Club and Downtown Optimist Club, TradeWinds Resort and the Loew’s Don Cesar treat our families to a 5-star meal monthly!
“Other donations include Wonderland Floral Art & Gift Loft in St. Petersburg donates stunning flower arrangements monthly; Schools groups and clubs hold ‘Wish List’ drives and collect house products from our Wish List; Farm Fresh Produce, St. Petersburg, donates up to five boxes of produce every other month; and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Bucs all donate tickets for our families – these events are greatly appreciated by families as it gives them an opportunity to get away from the hospital and the RMH for a few hours, relax and enjoy a community event!”
Adds Alison Barrick, RMHC Marketing & Communications Manager, “We don’t do a lot of events around the holidays because it’s already a busy season for us. This year our Holiday Open House on December 15, from to 6 to 8 pm at the Tampa Ronald McDonald House, at 35 Columbia Drive.We are a beneficiary of the annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour windup concert, December 19, at Amalie Arena– they hold an online auction in Tampa Bay of memorabilia to benefit RMH, last year raising over $10,000. Concert features 5 Seconds of Summer, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Zedd, Shawn Mendes, Tove Lo, Charlie Puth, R. City, HaileeSteinfeld, Conrad Sewell, Alessia Cara and DNCE. Donation details at http://news.iheart.com/features/jingle-ball-2015-22/#ixzz3pDKE7mXm”.
“The Loebells stayed at RMH of Tampa Bay many months while their daughter Elisha received treatment. For her third birthday earlier this year the Loebell Family hosted their first fundraiser for RMHC, raising over $700 and two pickup trucks full of donation items for the House. Elisha passed away shortly after on April 2nd. With the holidays around the corner the Loebell family would like to comfort the parents who will be staying at Ronald McDonald House this Christmas by surprising them with gifts and is asking for donations from family and friends to make that happen. To learn more about Elisha’s story visit her website www.elishasjourney.com or her Facebook www.facebook.com/elishasjourney. Donation deadline is December 18, and they can be dropped off at the Tampa RMH, or email Sylvia Loebell to arrange for pickup at s.loebell@outlook.com.”
Barrick appeals, “Please support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay this holiday season to keep families close when they need it most. Donations can made online at www.rmhctampabay.org or mailed to RMH Charities, 2800 Columbia Drive, Tampa FL 33606.”
Story by Steve Traiman
[Editor’s Note” Special thanks for their excellent comments and photos to Keith Overton, TradeWinds Resorts; Beverly McGahan, SPB PJ’s Oyster House; Sandy Lyman, Gulf Beaches Historical Museum; Alison Barrick & Karen Mathews, RMHC.]
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. Reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com.]