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“ASTA Gives Back” Volunteer Project: Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay
Sunday, February 8, 2009 • 8:00 am – 11:30 am
On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009, "ASTA Gives Back," an ASTA community service program which debuted at the last Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference in New Orleans, will continue with an exciting three-way partnership between ASTA, Seed Programs, Inc. (SPI) and the Ronald McDonald Charities of Tampa, host city of ASTA's 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference.
The Ronald McDonald House began out of one family’s misfortune became good fortune for millions of families worldwide. In 1974, Kim Hill, the 3-year old daughter of Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill, was diagnosed with leukemia. During Kim’s three years of treatment, Fred and his wife Fran often camped out on hospital chairs and benches and ate makeshift meals out of vending machines. The Hills watched other parents around them doing the same thing. They learned that many of the families traveled great distances to bring their children to the hospital, but couldn’t afford hotel rooms.
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The Hills began to think that there had to be a solution. Fred rallied the support of his Eagles teammates to raise funds and help other families experiencing the same emotional and financial traumas as his own. Through Jim Murray, the Eagles’ general manager, the team offered its support to Dr. Audrey Evans, head of the pediatric oncology unit at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Evans dreamed of a home-like temporary residence for families of children being treated at her hospital. Together, they created the first Ronald McDonald House. That first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974. By 1979, ten more Houses had opened. By 1984, McDonald’s restaurants and local communities founded 60 more Houses; then 53 more opened by 1989. Today, there are 277 Ronald McDonald Houses in 31 countries around the world. Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay is comprised of three Houses, two in St. Petersburg and one in Tampa, offering 66 bedrooms with private baths. We are owned and operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay, a non-profit Florida corporation whose board consists of representatives from our community’s parents, leaders, McDonald’s, medical profession and other interested individuals.
Convention attendees will be offered the opportunity to lend a landscaping hand at the Serenity Garden of the Ronald McDonald House to beautify the area for its residents. Participants will help the Tampa Bay house by adopting the Serenity Garden for the season. Participants will help to prepare the garden before planting seeds that will later bloom into beautiful flowers for families to enjoy during their stay at the Ronald McDonald House. The Serenity Garden is a quite place for relaxation for many of the families staying at the house. At the end of the morning, a motorcoach will be waiting to return participants to the hotel.
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The Ronald McDonald House, which offers temporary affordable housing for families whose children are hospitalized, will also conduct a special promotional campaign to commemorate Mother's Day by distributing packets of marigold flower seeds to donors, supporters and former residents. Every year on Mother’s Day, the Ronald McDonald House’s of Tampa Bay puts together a Mother’s Day initiative with a focus on “growing,” mailing 10,000 seed packets to current and past mothers of the RMH. This year, SPI, a non-profit organization who donates seed worldwide to developing nations in need, has partnered with ASTA to provide these seed packets for the project, which will consist of marigold seeds donated by Goldsmith Seeds, Inc. and Park Seed.
Representatives from SPI will also provide a presentation at the general session of the 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference to bring awareness to seed companies of the opportunity to serve as donors for SPI's important work. Many ASTA members have already supported SPI, and this "ASTA Gives Back" partnership provides a new opportunity for ongoing collaboration and community spirit.
Sponsorship and seed donation opportunities for both of the above projects are now available. To support the project as a sponsor or to provide a marigold flower seed donation to SPI, visit the new 48th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference sponsorship page or contact Jennifer Lord at the ASTA office for more information. To register to participate in the “ASTA Gives Back” Ronald McDonald House project, simply check “ASTA Gives Back” on the registration page as you register for the convention. Participation is free. |
