The Ronald McDonald Renovation, by Keo Thompson

Each time I visit our local McDonald's, I put my change in the Ronald McDonald Charities box, often wondering where the money goes.  Recently, I learned that most of the money stays right here in our area, helping children.  EP!C Respite Care Center received a grant from the Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Illinois for a "Home Away From Home" project to update two children's bedrooms and a bathroom.  The facility has not been updated since it was built.

The renovations are beautiful.  The girls' room is decorated in a pastel flower theme and the boys' room is a baseball theme.  The replaced windows have built-in blinds between the panes of glass, so there is no more worry about the children damaging or pulling the blinds from the wall (which has happened quite often in the past).  We replaced the old carpet with a vinyl wood-look floor which will allow the Hoyer lift to move more easily.  We also transformed the open closets with shelving and doors.  In addition, we replaced the furniture and mattresses, bedding, and décor.  The bathroom between the two bedrooms has a jungle animal theme.  We replaced the floor, lighting, shower head, and décor.  A cabinet was removed to allow easier access by children in wheelchairs.

Meet Zoe!  She is thrilled with the new Respite renovations!

The goal of the project was to create a more modern, comfortable, child-friendly environment for the young people who stay at Respite.  Cozy, welcoming bedrooms and bathrooms do much to ensure children feel safe, secure, and happy while they are away from their families.  We have been overwhelmed by comments from the families to whom we provide service.  They are as excited as we are at the incredible transformation of these rooms.  The rooms have become so much more functional for our children.

Our goal is to use these rooms as a model and engage other community organizations and groups in "adopting" (and renovating) the remaining bedrooms and bathrooms at the facility.  This was the second phase in a plan to completely renovate the Respite Center.  The first phase was completed last September and included the main living and dining area.  Our hope by the end of the year is to have Respite completely renovated.

We cannot thank Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Illinois enough for their generosity in helping us continue to provide a valuable service to families with children at home with disabilities.  We have learned that for many of our families, Respite is the only relief they have.  In June, we will have an open house to show off all of our renovations.  Keep your eyes on our Facebook page for more information about when the open house will be!