Collecting donations
Red Shoe Day earns rent for Ronald McDonald House.
EL CENTRO — The volunteers came from many vocations and locations, all for one cause — the support of Imperial Valley families who utilize the services by Ronald McDonald House of Charities in San Diego.
It was the seventh annual Red Shoe Day and at 29 intersections, from Calipatria to Calexico, 44 groups, including businesses, civic organizations, individuals and families who have stayed at Ronald McDonald House in San Diego participated. It will be several days before the Ronald McDonald House Charities know how much was raised, said Allegra Sonza, major gift coordinator of the charity.
The mission of Red Shoe Day is to raise awareness and resources for families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House while one of their children is hospitalized in San Diego. Since 1980, 14,000 families have been helped and 25 percent of those come from Imperial County. All stays are free but for families who have the means, are requested to donate $25 per night.
An average stay can be up to 23 days.
Once a child is admitted, it is the hospital that refers the child’s family to the Ronald McDonald House. There are 55 rooms and all are occupied every night, noted Sonza. Waiting lists are typically 30 to 60 families per night.
“We’re there to provide all the critical necessities, so parents can focus on getting their ill child home as quickly and healthy as possible,” said Sonza. “They have actually had studies that found children heal faster when families are close by.”
Without the Ronald McDonald House, children would be left alone in a hospital without the comforting bond of family. “Ronald McDonald House gives families a sense of peace, inner strength and healing,” said Sonza. “The entire family unit is kept more stable by being together.”
On the eve of Red Shoe Day on Tuesday, Ronald McDonald himself made a personal appearance at Sunflower Elementary School, where he made students laugh and shared the importance of charity.
Once on stage, Ronald wasted no time reminding students that a good character is not about being cool or how anybody wears their hair.
But good character is the most important thing about anyone and can be summed up in being trustworthy, responsible, showing respect and practicing fairness.
To illustrate good character, Ronald showed the audience a game, “That’s Not Fair.” With two teams drawn from the audience. Midway, Ronald changed the rules to make it much more difficult for one team to compete on a level playing field.
But once scolded by the referee, competition was restored to a fair contest.
None of the parable was lost on student Deegan Davis. “It was cool,” he said. “We learned to be trustworthy … and nice,” he said.
Helping navigate students through the happy assembly was Marilyn McAlister, teacher and Associated Student Body advisor.
She also shared her story of when her daughter Hannah needed scoliosis surgery, her family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House.
“Emotionally, our minds were on our daughter,” she said. “But having everything the Ronald McDonald House provided, it freed us up to take care of our daughter. Had there been no Ronald McDonald House, it would have been so expensive staying in San Diego.”