Ice Cream Social benefits McDonald House

Nicholas Toomey remembers a time when he would drop his pennies into the Ronald McDonald House container and watch them bounce off the pile of change that would go toward a cause he really didn’t know much about.

“I think about … when I used to eat at McDonald’s and play the little penny game, but I never realized how it affected people to get that little bit and how much it counts,” he said. “So now it’s coming back to us, and it helps so much.”

Nicholas and his wife Jessica Toomey are realizing firsthand just how much that small change adds up, and how it helps those in need.

The couple began staying at the Ronald McDonald House, a charity program that provides a home-away-from-home for families of children being treated at local hospitals and medical facilities, after their 7-week-old son was born prematurely at 1 pound 8 ounces, and they could not afford a hotel close to Florida Hospital.

“We would not be able to keep our head above water if we did not have this opportunity,” Nicholas said. “It’s amazing that it’s so close to the hospital… they really don’t leave you needing anything here, they pretty much meet our needs; we couldn’t ask for more.”

Toomey, who is currently stationed on Patrick Air Force Base, said the Ronald McDonald House has helped comfort them in many ways.

“It’s hard enough to worry about the baby,” he said. “But if we had to worry about our hotel room every night and traveling to the hospital… we’d be in trouble.”

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida served 1,470 families last year, and without help from the community and fundraisers, the charity would be unable to meet the needs of families such as the Toomeys.

The charity is continuing the tradition of fun to raise money for families, with an Ice Cream Social event on Saturday, March 24, at the Winter Park Civic Center.

Event chair Linda Mayfield said events such as the Ice Cream Social are so important because 80 percent of the charity’s budget comes from the community.

“Without the community’s support we wouldn’t be able to continue,” Mayfield said.

Ronald McDonald House program manager Josh Hendrix said partnering with the community to help give families the comfort they need during stressful times makes it all worth it.

“I’m just convinced that when you’re in a medical crisis your threshold of stress is maxed out, so to add any little bit to that, it’s too much,” Hendrix said. “And the home that we can offer them that has the simple things in life that you need just alleviates all those little stresses that these families don’t need.”

Having a home away from home is just one less thing the Toomeys now have to worry about as they wait patiently to bring their new baby home. They now know how much those small pennies can make a difference in someone’s life.

“It’s one of those things where when you think about these events to raise money,” Jessica said, “Having not been in this situation before you probably wouldn’t have given it a lot of thought.

“But once you’re in this situation you realize that other people like us have this kind of help available when they need it. And you want to pass it along to whoever’s going to come along next and be in your situation.”

The Ice Cream Social to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida is Saturday, March 24, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Winter Park Civic Center, 1050 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park. The event includes creating your own sundae, celebrity servers, face painting, prizes, games and more. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.rnhccf.org and click on “What’s Happening” or call 407-677-1552.