PATRICK'S PEOPLE: Sharon Dean earns volunteer award from Ronald McDonald House Charities

There is a serious difference of opinion between Sharon Dean, Pittsburg, and Annette Thurston, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States.

Thurston insists that Dean “is the ultimate board member, and sets a standard that all board members should follow.”

“I do not,” Dean said. “What I do is just a tiny portion.”

Thurston also believes that Dean richly deserves the 2010 Mary J. Davidson Volunteer of the Year Award that she received April 17 for all her dedication and countless hours of advancing the cause of children and families in the four-state area through her service to the Ronald McDonald House Charity and the Ronald McDonald House program.

“All our volunteers are amazing,” Dean said. “I am very humbled to receive this award, but proudly accept it on behalf of our Pitsco and Lego Education employees who have given of their time and talents to the Ronald McDonald House.”

And, in fact, Thurston fully acknowledges the value of the other board members and volunteers and is very grateful for them. It’s just that she still thinks Dean is a special person.

Like many other people, Dean was introduced to the services provided by Ronald McDonald House of the Four States, Joplin, during a difficult time in her family.

“On Oct. 13, 2000 our granddaughter was born three months premature at Freeman Hospital and spent months in the NICU,” Dean said. “What a blessing this house was to our son and daughter-in-law, Barry and Jennifer Dean.”

She was also drawn toward serving on the organization’s board because a family friend, Ken Bateman, Pittsburg, is very active in the organization and currently co-chairs the landscaping committee that keeps the house grounds beautiful.

Dean said that Thurston and house manager Tara Horinek, a Pittsburg State University graduate, are the only two paid staff members at the Ronald McDonald House of the Four States.

“Our house in Joplin is the only one totally run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by our volunteers,” Dean said proudly.

Thurston said that the house started with 30 volunteers and now has well over 100, all contributing some unique service.

“Jodi Helwig, Columbus, received a Heart of the House award at the same time Sharon received her award,” Thurston said. “She started with us six years ago, and she and her family spend every Christmas Eve with at the house with the guests.”

Santa, of course, also volunteers his time to visit every year on Christmas.

She said that 52 is the average age of an RMH volunteer, but there are also children who volunteer, including Helwig’s three, as well as seniors in their late 80s.

Dean does a wide variety of things. Thurston points out the dollhouse in the indoor play area, which Dean furnished with Lego items.         

“Around Christmas we have our Gift of Light, Gift of Love fundraiser, and that’s another place you’ll find Sharon, putting ornaments on a 20-foot tree,” Thurston said.

Volunteers also do what they can to brighten the stay of guests who have ill children being treated at nearby medical facilities.

“Our volunteer night manager probably sees more of the families than the day volunteers do, because most of them spend their days at the hospital with their child,” Thurston said.

So far, 2,011 families have been served from 33 states and one foreign country. Thurston said that southeast Kansas residents frequently use the facility.

“A total of 20,000 lodging nights have been spent here since the house opened,” Thurston said. “This includes 136 families from Pittsburg who have spent a total of 1,706 nights here, 26 Girard families who have spent 202 nights and 15 Frontenac families who have spent 217 nights.”

The longest house stay was 139 days, for a 17-year-old mother and 21-year-old father who had twin boys born at 23 weeks.

“The doctors gave them the difficult choice of whether they should try to keep the babies alive, and young parents said yes,” Thurston said. “One baby died after five days, but the other one is a fighter. We still keep in touch with the family.”

That little boy is alive and, while he’s had some complications, is doing well. Dean’s granddaughter, Katherine, is another success story.

“Katherine is 10 and I just returned from visiting her and her two little brothers,” Dean said. “She’s in the fourth grade and loves school. I asked her what she likes best at school and she said, ‘Recess’.”

There are 10 family suites available, each with private bathroom, and space for four more on the lower level of the house.

“We have offices down there now,” Thurston said, “but if we should decide to expand, we’ll move the offices off-site.”

She noted that there’s a common misconception that a Ronald McDonald House is owned or in some way funded by the McDonald Corporation.

“Each Ronald McDonald House is locally owned and operated, ours by Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States, a non-profit corporation,” Thurston said.

“Local owners/operators of McDonald’s restaurants do pledge their support for a fundraising base and assist with various fundraisers throughout the year, and through our affiliation we also receive numerous in-kind donations.”

However, she added that the success of the houses is built upon the local community raising the necessary funds to build and operate the house. Donations are gratefully accepted, including pop tabs.

“You might not think that those little things are worth much, but so far we have gotten more than $22,000 from the sale of pop tabs donated to us,” Thurston said. “Scouts love to collect tabs, schools and individuals collect them, and we’re very happy to receive them.”

Which is why Dean continues to insist that she’s only a “tiny portion” of what keeps the Joplin house going.

“I am always in awe of the generosity of all the donors of their time, talent, materials, financial and, of course, pop tabs,” Dean said.