by Mary-Kate Roan
Staff Writer
The Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville has been through a lot of changes since it first came to town.
In November 1988, a 10-bedroom Ronald McDonald House was built across the street from Shands Jacksonville. In November 2001, the location on Children’s Way opened with 20 bedrooms and an additional 10 bedrooms were added in 2004.
And on Friday, Nov. 21 the history of helping children and their families was celebrated at the Children’s Way location.
“We look forward to a future building on the foundation we have today,” said Greg Holland, president of the board of directors of the Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville. “We look forward to at least 20 more years of service.”
To celebrate the house’s 20th birthday, special t-shirts were made bearing the Ronald McDonald House logo along with the saying “I can see the future, and I need shades to see it.”
To reinforce the house’s bright future, sunglasses were handed out along with the shirts.
“Over 3,400 people in town are wearing these anniversary t-shirts,” said Joy Hardaker, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville. “We’re not just celebrating the history, we’re celebrating the future.”
Harding said there were three ways the Ronald McDonald House would improve in the future. The first was the building endowment, through spending $5 million on buildings and improvements to the house.
Secondly, the building would be expanded to add on 16 bedrooms without constructing a separate building. Last, the mission of the Ronald McDonald House would expand to help more children.
“I’m impressed with the organization,” said Mayor John Peyton, who was among those who questioned the decision to make the original house so far away from any hospital until the current Children’s Way location was built. “Jacksonville’s got great medical facilities and is a heavy center for biological science fields.”
Peyton added it was places like the Ronald McDonald House that made Jacksonville’s large medical presence in the nation possible.
Ricky Myatt and his family – wife Connie, daughter Talia and son Nate – are currently staying at the Ronald McDonald House to support Tyler Myatt, Ricky and Connie’s 13-year-old son who is undergoing a bone marrow transplant.
“When you’re here, you never have to ask for anything,” said Myatt. “It’s a blessing.”
The Ronald McDonald House in Jacksonville has served more than 25,000 families since it was built in 1988. No family is ever turned away for not being able to pay, though they are asked to contribute $10 for every night they stay. The average cost for a family to live in the house for one night is $100 with the average stay being five nights.
356-2466