Meals from the Heart

At the end of a long day at the hospital, a home cooked meal, prepared with compassion and care, is a welcome sight for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville.   In an effort to lessen the burden, reduce stress and enhance the quality of life for resident families, RMH of Cville provides a hot meal evening for families to share.  Most nights these meals are prepared by community volunteers.   

On the third Monday of each Red Shoe Cville Members are lucky enough to be able to provide one of these dinners as part of the RMH of Cville "Meals from the Heart Program". Not only is it a great way to give back to our community by supporting RMH of Cville, it's a really fun time that all of our Members look forward to.  

During the summer many of the regularly scheduled groups and organizations that usually fill the RMH of Cville meals calendar are away, so right now they are seeking additional help from RSC to fill in.  If you and your friends are interested in helping out, simply contact RMH of Cville Volunteer Coordinator Mary Ann Coffey at mcoffey@rmhcharlottesville.org.  

For more information on how you can sign up to make a meal with RSC check out our Sign-Up Genius page here. And don't fret if you're new to the process, RSC Volunteer Coordinator, Carl Schwarz, is happy to walk you through everything and answer any questions you might have.  Your help is greatly appreciated and brings comfort to those who really need it!

Calling All Beer Lovers!

If you've read anything about this year's Downtown Chili Showdown you already know that it's going to be pretty freaking awesome.  There's just one last little detail we need to hammer out to ensure that it is the BEST chili cook-off ever...we need volunteers to make it all happen! 

We are seeking volunteers 18 years or older to help with the Brew Ha-Ha Blind Beer Battle that will happen at the event on Saturday, April 18.  There are several one-hour shifts for volunteer beer pourers during the Blind Beer Battles, as well as a super special all-day shift for those of who you just can't get enough! All volunteers will receive a special RSC Volunteer T-shirt and volunteers 21 years and older who volunteer for the entire day will have the opportunity to attend a special beer-themed Volunteer Reception at the end of the event! Yep, you get the chance to have a super fun time while helping the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville accomplish their mission AND there will be beer!
 
If you are interested in helping out just fill out our preliminary poll here letting us know your availability.  You will be contacted closer to the event with specifics, so please include your email address in the comments section of the poll.  If you have questions about volunteering at this or at any RSC events, email our Volunteer Coordinator, SuperCarl Schwarz at caschwarz83@gmail.com

We so appreciate your interest in helping to make this event a success and promise a fun filled day with delicious chili and an opportunity to enjoy a great local beer tasting!

Make a Meal, Make a Difference

When a child is receiving medical treatment for serious illness or injury, taking away the worry of "what's for dinner?" can be a wonderful relief. This is why one our favorite ways to help out at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville (RMHC) is by volunteering for their "Meals from the Heart" program. 

Red Shoe Cville volunteers provide a meal for RMHC residents on the third Monday of each month. If you're interested in helping out check out our Sign Up Page here or contact our Volunteer Coordinator Carl Schwarz, at caschwarz83@gmail.com or 417-540-1791.  

If our regular dinner rotation doesn't work for you there are many other opportunities to give families - many of whom are through the hardest days of their lives - a little piece of mind the rest of the month. The goal at RMHC  is to have at least one prepared meal each day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, even brunch - so there are lots of chances to make someone's day a little better.  Some volunteers even come in just to bake cookies - and trust us, after a long day at the hospital, fresh baked cookies are a welcome sight and smell!

And don't fret if you're new to the process - the RMHC website provides everything you need to know about providing a meal. Plus, Carl is such a great guy that he'll even come to the house on your first evening to give you a brief orientation and make sure you're comfortable with everything.  Bon appetit!

Help Wanted

It takes a lot of effort to keep the the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville (RMHC) running 24-7, 365 days a year.  Despite their incredible dedication and long hours, there are not enough hours in the day to get absolutely everything done.  To help alleviate at least a little bit of their stress, two of our Board Members (Super Carl and Mike the Great) have coordinated with the the RMHC staff to create an opportunity for our volunteers donate a little bit of their time to help get some of these things done.  We are affectionately calling these opportunities  "Saturday Work Parties".  

Here's how it works.  On the first Saturday of each month we get together at the House to tackle whatever the Staff needs done. All you have to do is sign up for a Saturday that works for your schedule (see Sign Up Genius link below) and show up at the house to help that day.  Tasks are generally easy (cleaning, yardwork, basic handywork, etc) and can even be FUN. Recent Saturday Work Party projects included mulching the front yard and moving patio furniture and putting together lockers in the House pantry.

Saturday Work Parties start at 9:00am and we're usually done by around 1:00pm. So, if you're itching for another great way to help out the House (and trust us, every bit of help that you can offer really is valuable), sign up for one of these Saturday mornings. The feeling you get from helping is so much greater than the small amount of time you actually commit, and, dare we say, it can actually be a really good time?!?!?  (Not to mention, you get to spend the morning with your extra super fun fellow Red Shoe Members).  

So, what do you say - are you ready to come party with us? Next party will take place on March 7, but don't despair if you can't make than one, there's plenty of room in the months that follow! Just let us know you're coming by signing up at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/8050B49A4A62FA02-1stsaturday 

Meals From the Heart

When a child is receiving medical treatment for serious illness or injury, taking away the worry of "what's for dinner?" can be a wonderful relief. This is why one our favorite ways to help out at the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville (RMHC) is by volunteering for their "Meals from the Heart" program. 


Red Shoe Cville volunteers provide a meal for RMHC residents on the third Monday of each month. If you're interested in helping out check out our Sign Up Page here or contact our Volunteer Coordinator Carl Schwarz, at caschwarz83@gmail.com or 417-540-1791.  

If our regular dinner rotation doesn't work for you there are many other opportunities to give families - many of whom are through the hardest days of their lives - a little piece of mind the rest of the month. The goal at RMHC  is to have at least one prepared meal each day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, even brunch - so there are lots of chances to make someone's day a little better.  Some volunteers even come in just to bake cookies - and trust us, after a long day at the hospital, fresh baked cookies are a welcome sight and smell!

And don't fret if you're new to the process - the RMHC website provides everything you need to know about providing a meal. Plus, Carl is such a great guy that he'll even come to the house on your first evening to give you a brief orientation and make sure you're comfortable with everything.  Bon appetit!
 

Grand Re-Opening

Earlier this spring we were fortunate to be invited to celebrate with RMHC staff and residents for a Grand Re-Opening pizza party at the house, courtesy of our friends Papa John's of Cville.  We were all blown away by how beautiful the house renovations turned out and agreed that we couldn't wait for our next opportunity to make dinner for the residents just so we could use that amazing kitchen.  (Check out photos on our Facebook page). 

And speaking of dinner...you may have heard that our local Charlottesville Papa John's has a pretty awesome special going on right now called the "Red Shoe Special".  Order any large 3 topping or specialty pizza and Papa John's donates $1 to us!  Dinner and a donation just by placing an order?  That's our kind of meal and our kind of deal!   Thank you, Vic and entire Papa John's team, for rockin' your red shoes with us!

Dinner Time

 

Looking for a chance to participate in one of the many ways we help the House?  How about signing up for one of the monthly dinners we provide for the residents?  By giving us just a few hours of your day to prepare a meal, you can help create a sense of home and provide some comfort for those going through one of the toughest times of their lives.
 

How does this work?  

Red Shoe provides dinner for the residents of the House on the 3rd Monday of each month.  Typically we volunteer in teams of 2-4, though we encourage individuals to sign up as well, as we can match you with others for the same date (we will NOT let you end up preparing dinner on your own!).  Groups usually spend around $100 total for meal preparation. However, careful planning can make it much less and splitting the meal 4-ways helps alleviate the costs. Additionally, the House supplies drinks for the residents, so you don't need to worry about that. 

Dinner needs to be ready at or just before 6:30.  You do not need to stick around to serve - just clean up after yourself, load the dishwasher and head on out for the evening. The House recently underwent some major renovations and the new kitchen is awesome! If you like to cook this is a really fun way to get together with a few friends and spend an afternoon using an amazing professional kitchen while making a difference in the lives of others. 

With the wonderful renovations also came a few new guidelines we need to follow when preparing dinner for the House.  These guidelines can be found at http://rmhcharlottesville.org/index.php/how-you-can-help/provide-a-meal/ along with helpful hints on how much to prepare and what to expect.  The biggest difference from our meal prep in the past is that food must be prepared at the House or in a commercial kitchen. 

How do I sign up? 

Signing up to prepare a meal is as simple as clicking on the following link http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B49A4A62FA02-dinners  And don't fret if you're new to the process. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Carl Schwarz, can come to the house on your first evening to give you a brief orientation and make sure you're comfortable with everything. And, if you have any questions you can contact caschwarz83@gmail.com or 417-540-1791.   

Your help is so greatly appreciated and brings comfort to those who really need it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

Let's Party!

As you may know, it takes a lot of effort to keep the the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville (RMHC) running 24-7, 365 days a year.  Despite their incredible dedication and long hours, the staff never seem to have enough time to get absolutely everything done.  To help alleviate at least a little bit of their stress, two of our Board Members (Super Carl and Mike the Great) have coordinated with the the RMHC staff to create an opportunity for our volunteers donate a little bit of their time to help get some of these things done.  We are affectionately calling these opportunities  "Saturday Work Parties".  

Here's how it works.  The House staff will be creating a running "To-Do" list for us, which we will make available to our volunteers.  On the first Saturday of the month we will get together to tackle whatever needs to be done. All you have to do is sign up for a Saturday that works for your schedule (see Sign Up Genius link below) and show up at the house to help that day.  Tasks are generally easy and should take no more than an afternoon. Recent Saturday Work Party projects included mulching the front yard and moving patio furniture and putting together lockers in the House pantry.

Saturday Work Parties start at 1:00pm so you can get your own Saturday work out of the way (or sleep off all the fun you had Friday night!).  So, if you're itching for another great way to help out the House (and trust us, every bit of help that you can offer really is valuable), sign up for one of these Saturday afternoons. The feeling you get from helping is so much greater than the small amount of time you actually commit, and, dare we say, it can actually be a really good time.  (Not to mention, you get to spend the afternoon with your extra super fun fellow Red Shoe members).  

So, what do you say - are you ready to come party with us? Next party will take place on August 2, but don't despair if you can't make than one, there's plenty of room in the months that follow! Just let us know you're coming by signing up at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/8050B49A4A62FA02-1stsaturday  

Celebrate the 4th with Red Shoe & Papa John's

 

As many of you know, Vic and his team at Papa John's of Charlottesville have generously offered to team up with us to help us support our mission of raising money for the Ronald McDonald House of Cville.  In addition to their "Red Shoe Pizza Special" (in which $1 of each purchase of a large 3-topping or specialty pizza is donated to Red Shoe!) and monthly meals for the house, they’ve offered to donate a portion of their proceeds from the Charlottesville 4th of July celebration at McIntire Park to us – Awesome right!?  We just need volunteers to assist Vic and Papa John's at the event.  

We'll be there from 4:00pm-10:00pm and will take your help for as little or as long as you can provide it. This is a great chance to be a part of one of C'ville's great traditions, help us earn cash for the House and an excellent opportunity to get an up-close view of the fireworks!  If you can make it, please respond to our doodle poll here http://doodle.com/i9cf7wp5b676z3ge  

Questions? Email us redshoecville@gmail.com