Barona Band of Mission Indians Makes $150,000 Donation
to the Ronald McDonald House for new “Place of Peace”

(San Diego) (February 9, 2010) – Bill Lennartz, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego (RMHCSD), announced today that the Barona Band of Mission Indians has made a generous capital campaign donation of $150,000 to the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” for families with sick children in area hospitals.

Barona’s contribution will be used to help pay for the newly built Ronald McDonald House. In addition to their donation, Barona will also design and build a special outside courtyard for families who are staying at the House or utilizing the Family Care Center during the day. Designed to be a beautiful and serene place for parents and families to relax and find comfort, Barona has named the courtyard “‘Ewaa Ketuy” which is “Place of Peace” in their language, ‘Iipay.

“Barona’s investment in the new Ronald McDonald House will have a lasting impact on generations of families with seriously ill children,” said Lennartz.  “We are so grateful to Barona for their generous donation and look forward to our families finding special refuge in the new meditation area.”

A formal unveiling and naming ceremony for the “‘Ewaa Ketuy” will be held at the Ronald McDonald House when it officially opens this spring.

 “The Barona Band of Mission Indians is proud to support organizations that make a difference in the lives of children in our community,” said Edwin “Thorpe” Romero, chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians. “Creating this space at the new Ronald McDonald House was a special opportunity and we hope it will be a place of comfort and reflection for years to come.”

About RMHCSD

Since opening its doors in 1980, San Diego’s RMHC has provided more than 140,000 nights of lodging for more than 14,000 families whose children face life-threatening illnesses and are receiving treatment at area hospitals.  With the opening of the new House located atop a six-story parking garage across from Rady Children’s Hospital, the new 47- bedroom Ronald McDonald House quadruples the size of the old 12 bedroom House. It features a new Family Care Center that is open daily to anyone with a child in an area hospital and will serve the needs of 20,000 families each year. The Center offers dining services, a computer lab, arts and crafts room, children’s play room, teen center, play yard, faith room, outdoor play areas, laundry, day resting rooms and shower facilities.

RMHC is a 501(C) (3) non-profit that receives 10 percent of its funding from local McDonald’s Restaurant owners and operators. The remaining 90 percent needed to operate the house and serve families must be raised through donations from individuals and fundraising campaigns. For more information on RMHCSD, visit www.rmhcsd.org or call (858) 467-4750. 

About the Barona Band of Mission Indians

The Barona Band of Mission Indians, recognized by the United States government as a sovereign nation, has lived on the Barona Indian Reservation in rural eastern San Diego County since 1932.  Prior to that, the Tribe lived on the Capitan Grande Reservation which was established by the federal government in 1875.  Long before living on a reservation, the Tribe traveled across Southern California in tune with the seasons and what nature provided. Today, the sovereign nation, governed by an elected Tribal Council, is serving its Tribal members, their families, and sharing with the San Diego region.  One of the most successful gaming Tribes in the country, Barona also owns and operates the Barona Resort & Casino, San Diego’s leading gaming resort, casino and golf course. For more information, visit www.barona-nsn.gov.