WJMS students raising awareness for Ronald McDonald House

Two West Jessamine Middle School FCCLA students are raising awareness for the Ronald McDonald House as part of a community leadership event.

The STAR — Students Taking Action with Recognition — event is sponsored by seventh-grader Jacob Williams and sixth-grader Makayla Gilbert. The two met last week with Jessamine County Judge-Executive Neal Cassity, who declared Feb. 7-14 Jessamine County Ronald McDonald House Awareness Week.

The Ronald McDonald House provides available and affordable housing for parents and family members of patients at the UK Children’s Hospital. There is a nominal fee to stay, and arrangements are made for those who cannot pay.  The families can stay just a few minutes’ walk from the hospital and their sick child. There are refrigerators for each family, bedrooms, a common living room and other amenities for the families. The house is fully dependent on donations to keep operating.

The West Middle FCCLA chapter has been saving soda-can tabs for the charity for many year, but this year the two students are taking other donations for the Lexington-based Ronald McDonald House in addition to the much-needed can tabs.

Beth White from the RMH gave the students a tour of the facility and encouraged them to have people donate from a list of things needed for the everyday life at the house. Items such as sandwich baggies, paper towels, toilet paper, personal grooming items, detergent, batteries and gift cards for local restaurants are among the list of things needed. 

Anyone wishing to make donations can drop them off at WJMS in care of the FCCLA in the front office.  Pop tabs that have been collecting in your house without a place to go are much needed.  If you want to know more about donations, please call Alesia Sallee at WJMS at 859-885-2244.