The Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House will present its annual “A Few Good Men and Women Awards” to 10 philanthropic locals at a gala on Friday, Sept. 29, at the Agua Caliente Casino Spa Resort in Rancho Mirage.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, more than 50 miles away from the Coachella Valley, is the closest place for many critically ill local children to get treatment. The Ronald McDonald House, within walking distance of the hospital, provides support, meals, a place to stay and more for the families of patients. It’s one of 377 Ronald McDonald House programs operating in 45 countries and regions around the world.
Since opening on Sept. 11, 1996, the house has assisted more than 18,000 families. Each year, the facility supports between 740 and 1,500 families, with about half from the Coachella Valley. Requests for assistance, made by the hospital’s social workers, are judged daily, case by case, based on diagnosis and distance. Though a minimal contribution is requested, no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.
One of this year’s A Few Good Men and Women honorees is Willie Rhine, co-owner of Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge, 1501 Uptown Gastropub and Willie’s Modern Fare. This is not his first honor; in fact, he’s won many awards, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities.
“I always say yes when asked to help,” he said. “We have a need to give back.”
Among the good causes he has helped is the Ronald McDonald House. He learned personally about the importance of the house when his 6-year-old nephew was treated at the hospital for brain damage caused by suffocation via a plastic bag in January. The event was a life-changer.
“We are a close family … and we all needed to be near the hospital for support, and I realized the great need for the Ronald McDonald House firsthand,” he said. “You have no idea when you may need a service like this.”
Valerie Espinoza, 17, lives in Thermal. Since she was a year old, she’s been battling multiple benign brain tumors, respiratory problems and, most recently, recurring giant leg cell/bone tumors; she’s often been hospitalized for extended periods of time, sometimes as long as two months. For her to have her family nearby when she is hospitalized and suffering is vital.
“I’m a fighter,” Valerie said.
Valerie’s family, especially her late grandmother, inspires her, she said. “My grandmother always said, ‘You’ve got to keep going. You can succeed; you’re still young and have a lot of energy. Be strong and have faith.’”
Valerie’s mother, Veronica, said calling the Ronald McDonald House “a home away from home” is an understatement.
“The Ronald McDonald House has seen me and my family through difficult times,” Veronica said. “Inside these walls, there is a strong community supported by many staff and volunteers ready to help and accommodate us and other families’ needs. Within this community, I have bonded, laughed, grieved, supported and prayed with other families who are also going through tough times throughout the years.
“Each time, the Ronald McDonald House of Charity has welcomed and assisted us and several other families with nothing but love and open arms. I will forever be grateful that this charity exists. It has not only provided me and my family with a comfortable place to sleep and eat, but to be there when Valerie needs us the most.”
Richard O’Connell is one of the organizers of the awards gala.
“It is critical for families to stay together near the hospital,” said O’Connell, a volunteer at the house for more than six years. “When the families share time together, and share stories, regardless of their children’s diseases and where they come from, they can relate to each other and share bonds.”
This year’s other honorees are Steve and Candace Garvey, Ricky Jenkins, Tim Leiweke, Peggy Michel, Bianca Rae, Gil and Marlene Ruttenberg, and Lizette Vela.
Steve Garvey, a baseball legend who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres between 1969 and 1987, said that to him, these awards are a very special occasion. He is a prostate cancer survivor, and has served as the chairman of the board of directors of Fans for the Cure since 2015; it’s an organization devoted to prostate cancer awareness, education and screening.
“I know what you can do on the field, but it’s what you do off the field (that’s most important),” Garvey said. “Baseball has given me the opportunity to reach out and give back to the community. This honor gives me even more of an opportunity to give back to the community.”
The seventh annual A Few Good Men and Women Gala, a fundraiser for the Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House, will take place from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, in Rancho Mirage. Tickets start at $175. For tickets or more information, visit rmhcsc.org/inlandempire.
This little girl is so strong