Here's where the articles go when they're retired from the front page of the website ... UPDATE: ACN Training Event Sets RMH/Detroit Fundraising Record
A brief note from RMH Executive Director Jennifer Litomisky: ACN Training Event Partners with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Major Fundraising Effort
ACN’s International Training Event in Detroit featured more than a weekend of instruction for its representatives. The event also served as a major fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House. The International Association of Home Staging Professionals provided 18 volunteers to collect funds for the House those three days, as part of their IAHSP Foundation and the Worldwide Staging Service Week.
ACN, the world’s largest direct seller of telecommunications and creator of the IRIS 3000 Videophone, partnered with the Michigan charity to collect contributions to support Detroit’s Ronald McDonald House during the event September 12-14. Working with volunteers from the charity, ACN collected donations from thousands of the company’s representatives and employees throughout the weekend. ACN will match the contributions dollar-for-dollar.
Every year, ACN hosts several international training events in cities around the world, selecting worthwhile organizations as their charities of choice. ACN has donated millions to non-profit organizations including those that give to needy children, help victims of domestic violence, support substance abuse rehabilitation, and provide relief after natural disasters.
The International Association of Home Staging Professionals® (IAHSP®) Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Barb Schwarz, The Creator of Home Staging, is pleased to announce the beginning of the 4th annual Worldwide Staging Service Week, September 12th through 19th, 2008. A record 60 IAHSP Chapters will participate across the country in a week-long event to improve the lives of others through the magic of Home Staging®. Members of the IAHSP across the US and Canada will come together beginning September 12, 2008 to help local organizations and individuals in their communities who are in need of Staging® services. Past benefactors have included such places as the Ronald Mc Donald House, nursing homes,schools, women’s shelters and individuals in need of selling their homes.
Founded in 1993, ACN has become one of the fastest growing companies in the world by providing customers with leading edge services such as digital phone service and video phones as well as providing a better alternative for services they need and use everyday like local and long distance calling, Wireless, Internet and Satellite TV. ACN operates in 19 countries with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, check out www.acnpresskit.com. Pulte Homes Charitable Giving Committee Gives Second Largest Grant in the House’s History!
Pulte Homes, Inc., based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., recently announced that they will grant the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit, $37,800 to replace all of the HVAC units in 25 bedrooms. This is the second largest grant awarded to the House.
Just this past summer, Pulte Homes built a 175 square foot playhouse as part of a raffle for the House. The raffle raised a record-setting, $18,440!
Work on the new HVAC units is scheduled to begin in September! The families and children of the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit, salute and thank Pulte Homes for this generous gift!
Pulte Homes, Inc., is one of America’s largest home building companies with operations in 50 markets and 26 states. During its 57-year history, the company has delivered more than 500,000 new homes. Since 2000, Pulte Homes operations have earned more top-three finishes than any other homebuilder in the annual J.D. Power and Associates® New Home-Builder Customer Satisfaction Study.sm
Auction Action is over - thanks for bidding and helping the House!
The week leading up to Labor Day weekend was busy at the house .... Alexander Zonjic did a live broadcast of his Smooth Jazz 98.7 show .... and Jay Towers from The Ticket 97.1 appeared live at the house - reaching out to the community to raise funds and awareness for the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit.
But, time has run out on the "Auction Action!" We had a lot of bids on a lot of great packages ....winners will be notified by the RMH executive staff .... thanks again for your support!
Pulte Homes Playhouse Event Huge Success - Winner drawn !
| A huge thank you to Pulte Homes and its Detroit area vendors for their wonderful playhouse fundraiser for the house. We're delighted to report that the event brought in $18,440.00 for RMH Charities of SE Michigan.
And, we couldn't be more delighted with who won the raffle. Here's the story from RMH Executive Director Jennifer Litomisky: "I just talked to the winner of the Pulte Playhouse - they have the property - they have the children - and they are ready and willing to get the playhouse up and in their backyard for their 2 children before the husband goes back to Iraq! Yes, an active military family is our winner! "The winner is the Binkley family from Howell, MI. "From the bottom of our hearts - THANK you to all who helped and I look forward to the 2009 Pulte Playhouse raffle!" - Jennifer
Congrats to the Binkleys, and thanks to all involved in this great event!!
You can still tour the house !! Click here for a Virtual Tour. |  |
Wow - what a Hula!
We had a wonderful evening of warm breezes, delicious wine, scrumptious appetizers and desserts (provided by Chefs Paul Mann, Cindy Randolph, Val Newman) and relaxing music in the gorgeous Ronald McDonald House Garden on Thursday, June 19th. Hope you can join us next year!
A gorgeous breeze blew gently through our perfectly arranged and decorated gardens. The sounds of lovely, live Hawaiian music strummed our ears. The deliciously prepared food and desserts danced in our mouths. Wine, beer and tropical drinks flowed effortlessly from bottle to lips. Beautiful Hula dancers graced our yard and entertained our eyes with their graceful movement. It was a perfect night!
Yes, there were some very brief water blessings from the sky gods, but as the native Hawaiians said; it is the best blessing of ALL to have rain come after a dance. (Which, coincidentally, happened TWICE - both immediately after the hula dances)! In fact the dancers said the rain after a dance predicts GREAT prosperity.
Other than the most amazing, food, drinks, desserts, entertainment and some of the most gorgeous decorations and real tropical and awesome company all night, the best moment of all was the end to end, full-color rainbow that was squarely shining over our Ronald McDonald House of Detroit shortly before the end of the evening. It was picture perfect and there's no way the night could have ended more perfectly!
Our chefs out-did themselves! There were many compliments on the food and desserts!
The donation of wine and vodka from Hillers, Judy Dunn and Scott Stinebaugh was really outstanding!
Mahalo to all of you who shared this night with our family of volunteers, staff and board. It was a HUGE success
If you would like to see the photos of the evening please go to: www.myeye.smugmug.com>smugmug.com The photographer will donate half the proceeds of any pictures ordered. |
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RMH's Own Jennifer Litomisky Named "Inspiring Woman"
 | Congratulations to Jennifer J. Litomisky, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit, the first person to receive the WNBA Detroit Shock’s "Inspiring Woman" award. The award is sponsored by the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Shock foundation and is part of the Shock's Inspiring Women Platform program.
The award itself was presented during the unveiling of the new "Garden of Inspiration" - a beautification of the patio at RMH/Detroit underwritten by the Detroit Shock. Shown in the picture at left, Cheryl Ford, Jennifer and coach Bill Laimbeer. More details can be found on the Detroit Shock website.
The Ronald McDonald House renovation project was funded by the following Pistons/Palace Foundation sponsors: Meijer, Belle Tire, Detroit Medical Center, Medical Weight Loss Clinic, T & C Federal Credit Union and National City Bank.
Thanks to all the donors, and thanks to the Detroit Shock for their incredible efforts, and for honoring Jennifer! |
2008 Children’s Charity Ball Raises RECORD Funds for the House!
 Chairpersons, Paul and Silvia DePalma enjoy a moment with Family at the 5th Annual Children’s Charity Ball! | This year the Friends of Children Charity Ball raised over $62,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southeast Michigan. The committee (Silvia and Paul DePalma, chairpersons, and members, Gino and Nancy Perri, Lori and Marty Testasecca, Sandra and Silvio Savo) worked the entire year, collecting auction items and new attendees for the event. With this year’s results, the group has more than doubled the net revenue since its inception four years ago! This is a record high for any annual event at the House!
This year the event will be held on Saturday, November 8th at the Laurel Manor. |
Cold Nights - Heaters Needed!!
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| The Ronald McDonald House of Detroit is approaching its 29th Anniversary and the HVAC room heaters in 18 rooms are breaking down after 29 years of continual use (heating and cooling the rooms). We need your assistance - details HERE. |
Aviator Ball Presented by the McDonald Owner/Operators of Southeastern Michigan
The Aviators' Ball - an upscale fundraising celebration to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses in Detroit and Ann Arbor - took place at the Henry Ford Museum – the ‘History of Aviation’ area. The event raised much needed funds to contribute to the excellent work that each of the Houses (Detroit and Ann Arbor) do to provide positive environments for families of children who are ill and undergoing serious treatment. The McDonald Owner/Operators are grateful to the growing list of Sponsors that have committed to underwriting the Aviators' Ball. Sponsorship opportunities ranged from "Pilot," "Co-Pilot," "Navigator," "Flight Crew" and "Passenger" levels, as well as gifts in kind, program advertisements and auction item donations. The event had close to 500 guests and netted close to $93,360.33 for EACH House! We salute the McDonald Owner/Operators for hosting this party and raising funds for the Houses!
UPDATE: Detroit Pistons Live, Learn and Play Center debuts at RMH/Detroit
Photo credit: Pistons Photo |
We recently held the public 'unveiling' of the new Live, Learn and Play Center at RMH/Detroit, and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Detroit Pistons.
Details on all the excitement HERE. |
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