Ronald McDonald Club grows at Davis High

By Denna Changizi,
Bludevilhub.com Staff–

Davis High’s Ronald McDonald club is not a club with the sole purpose of binge eating burgers at every meeting, but a club where students help support the Ronald McDonald foundation.

The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) Charities is a nonprofit organization that focuses on finding programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. There are many different Ronald McDonald houses.

The RMH club helps out the charity houses and supports its residents by doing everything from collecting donations to give to kids at the RMH, or putting together Halloween candy cups for children and their families living there.

“The people we help are kids who have been hospitalized and whose parents need a place to stay near the hospital. For example, the teen council might host a Christmas party for the kids since they don’t know anyone so far from their home,” president of the club, sophomore Jack Liu said.

Liu is a big contributor to the project. Not only has he gotten all of his friends involved but his parents are also helpful.

“Jack’s mom is a big help,” club member Sophia Sears said.

Mary Liu, Jack’s mother, will often go out, purchasing many toys and other objects that the children in the Ronald McDonald House will enjoy.

The club meets every two weeks or once a month at school. It isn’t a big commitment, but it is a big help.

“I created this club as a feed of volunteers that could help teen council,” Liu said.

The club is open to anyone who wants to join. Volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in Sacramento is just as easy; you can sign up by emailing the house at lpolaschek@rmhcnc.org.

“Whoever wants to come, can come. It’s free, it’s fun to be a part of, it’s good volunteer hours,” Sears said.

After Sears shared about the club with her acquaintances, fellow sophomore Mitra Varjavand approached Sears, wanting to join.

Varjavand was drawn in by the fun that the club members seemed to have, and the large amount of volunteer hours Sears talked about. “It seems like fun easy volunteering to do with friends, and I want to help the kids [in the Ronald McDonald house],” Varjavand said.

Club member Chiara Armstrong, also loves the club.

“My favorite part of being in it is that everyone makes an effort to do their part in the club and I am in it because I thought the projects were really great ways to make a difference,” Armstrong said.

One of the larger houses is located in San Francisco. The house takes in hospitalized patients under the age of 18, along with their families.

The RMH in San Francisco has a total of 10 rooms, but they plan on expanding, executive assistant of the house, Kendyll Mudry said. She explains that the city will have more rooms ready in February. The new house will be near the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco and will contain a total of 12 rooms.

Mudry, who has been working full time at the RMH, is proud to have such a big contribution to her community.

“I love coming to work every day knowing I’m helping the [people in the] city,” Mudry said.