It was the perfect sixth grade project, where some clowning around had a themed purpose. When all was said and done, 24 pizzas and dozens of home baked cookies were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House just in time for the evening meal. The timing couldn’t have been better; on that particular day, nobody was scheduled to prepare the evening meal.

So often, one may wonder how something will get done or how a person in need will be cared for and then, almost miraculously a volunteer comes forward – often from the least expected place, and sometimes aligned with a crew to lend a hand in a particular situation.

Looking around our community we see volunteers in hospitals and health care facilities, libraries, schools, churches, sports, charities, civic organizations and so much more. Volunteering can provide a springboard for a passionate and purposeful life driven by one thing: love. Whether you love what you do, who you care for, or who you work with, volunteering is a gift to community and can also be a gift to yourself.

Why volunteer? That was the question posed to 22 sixth grade students in one of Tom Griffin’s Quest Community Service classes. The class had no problem coming up with a lengthy list: an opportunity to help people, a chance to meet new friends, learn new skills, and to serve their community.

Each year, sixth graders take on a volunteer service activity. The students pick the project, and all participate. The purpose is to help them realize that both young and old can contribute to community in a meaningful way. Finding the time is easy when you do something you enjoy – so pick a project that interests you, and don’t worry about qualifications. Volunteering opens doors to opportunities and provides an excellent environment to learn and expand your horizons.

The sixth graders had a blank slate, and the brainstorming began. It didn’t take long to have 40 ideas on the board! But when it got whittled down – they had picked their project. A love for baking, combined with their favorite food, pizza, a desire to help sick children and their families, and be able to clown around a little bit. It was a call to serve the Ronald McDonald House!

Surely, a parent’s nightmare begins when they learn that their child has a serious illness and must undergo treatment at a medical facility many miles from home. Finding affordable shelter and food and care for other family members while also comforting an ill child is a daunting task. This is one of those times where hopes of miracles and angels may cross your mind because you know that you can’t possibly handle all of this on your own.

Such was the case in 1973. A member of the Philadelphia Eagles football team, Fred Hill, learned that his three-year-old daughter had leukemia. His team stepped in and organized a fundraiser. Their goal was to create a home-away-from-home so that not just Fred, but other out-of-town families could stay near their ill child during their stay in a medical facility.

The Eagles enlisted the support of nearby McDonald’s and in 1974 the first house was born in Philadelphia. Named after the clown Ronald McDonald, the house created a comfort for ill children. In the U.S., Ronald McDonald is the second most recognized character, taking second place only to Santa Claus!

Today there are 257 Ronald McDonald Houses in 28 countries. Thanks to McDonald’s and thousands of volunteers the world over, families don’t need to worry about shelter and food – a modest donation of around $10 per night provides families with the love and care that is needed at this time in their life.

The Ronald McDonald House in Portland is run by four paid staff members and 300 volunteers. In operation just ten years, they have served 3,350 families, and will begin a 10-room expansion project in April. None of this would be possible without the support of volunteers and countless community efforts.

The sixth graders learned that you can do great things when you put your heads together and consider all the resources available to you. They also learned that there are many small things that add up to big donations. For example: did you know that those little pull tabs on beverage cans can be turned into cash to benefit Ronald McDonald Houses?

Collect your can tops, and give them to a middle school student or a Scarborough Rotary Club member, or better yet, organize a pull tab drive and you’ve just taken on a volunteer project of your own. For more information, go to www.rmhportlandme.org.

Together, we can make great things happen. Thanks to all the volunteers – our community wouldn’t be the same without you.

Volunteers make it happen23Volunteers make it happen