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First families move in to Ronald McDonald House

On Monday, Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta got down to the business of helping families with critically ill babies, sick children and those facing high-risk pregnancies in Central Alberta.
C01-Ronald-McDonald
Ronald McDonald House

On Monday, Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta got down to the business of helping families with critically ill babies, sick children and those facing high-risk pregnancies in Central Alberta.

The first family was to arrive about an hour after the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony and the 11-suite facility was expected to be filled to capacity within a week.

The $12-million house, backing onto Gaetz Avenue near Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, was built to provide affordable accommodations for children and their families who live outside the city and are receiving treatment at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.

Larry Mathieson, executive director of Ronald McDonald House for Southern Alberta and Central Alberta, said it was time for the house to do what it was intended to do.

“Over the last month, we’ve had literally thousands of people tour through and celebrate what they helped to create for Central Alberta families. It’s been a noisy and boisterous place, especially the day when we had 600 students in the building,” Mathieson told guests who gathered for the grand opening.

“But in an hour it will become a very quiet building.”

He said the kitchen and dining room will be places where families facing similar challenges will meet and comfort each other over a meal or quiet cup of tea at night.

“We believe no one can really support another person the same way as someone whose child is going through exactly what your child is going through.”

More than 400 families a year are expected to use the house, located at 3908 Gaetz Ave.

Lisa Moore and her family, who are the spokesfamily for the Red Deer house, said it will be a home away from home for families in crisis.

“I love it. It’s an automatic warm feeling. I know if I had to be a mom staying at a Ronald McDonald House again, I know I’d take great comfort,” said Moore who lives 30 km west of Red Deer.

Her family used Calgary’s Ronald McDonald House after she gave birth to premature twins on May 15, 2008.

“Some people would dream in their lifetime of winning something bigger than life, like the lottery. It has been a dream and a goal of our family to see this desperately needed Ronald McDonald House built in Central Alberta, which will help so many families with sick children,” Moore said.

Red Deer Coun. Paul Harris proclaimed Feb. 27 Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta Day and called the house “a very important and valued asset” to the community.

Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ray Prins thanked everyone involved in process to build the house on behalf of his constituents.

“We’re doing this in Red Deer but it’s not for the Red Deer people so much as people outside Red Deer in rural Alberta.”

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com