7^th annual raffle launches January 24 to raise critical funds for

families with sick children

SAN DIEGO – January 17, 2011 – Some lucky person with a $150 raffle ticket will win an exquisite $1.8 million dream home or $1.5 million in cash, in the 7^th annual Dream House Raffle to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego (RMHC-SD).  Individuals can purchase their $150 raffle tickets for a chance at the dream house, along with thousands of dollars in cash and prizes starting January 24.  The grand prize is a stunning 7300 s.f. custom mountaintop estate with five bedrooms and five baths, on nearly an acre with sweeping ocean and mountain views.  All proceeds will help Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego (RMHC-SD) provide a “home away from home” to families with hospitalized children.

RMHC-SD will sell up to 37,000 tickets for the Dream House Raffle.   As incentive to purchase tickets early, the raffle includes cash and prizes of up to $25,000 in each of three early bird drawings for tickets purchased before the deadlines of February 25, March 25, and April 22. The grand prize drawing is on June 4.  Early bird prize opportunities include chances to win a Toyota Prius, a Sea Doo Speedster (or their cash equivalents), and much more. For a complete list of prizes, go to http://www.sdraffle.com.

Any individual who buys more than one ticket will be entered into an additional, exclusive Multi-Ticket Drawing to win a 2011 Porsche Boxster or $30,000 cash; a European vacation or $10,000 cash; or a Hawaiian vacation or $5000 cash. Multi-ticket purchasers will receive an entry into this drawing with each ticket they purchase. If ticketholders refer a friend to purchase a ticket, they will be included in the Refer-a-Friend drawing and given the chance to win $10,000 cash.

The grand prize Dream House is an exquisite Tuscan estate with breathtaking views from every room. It features a gourmet kitchen, formal living and dining room, spacious family room, a luxurious master bedroom and bath, elevator, media entertainment room and a disappearing edge pool overlooking the ocean.  For photos and descriptions of the Dream House, go to www.sdraffle.com/Photos.

Proceeds for the raffle will help support the operation of the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego, a 65,000 s.f. “home away from home” for families with hospitalized children.  With 47 bedrooms for families to stay in overnight and a Family Care Center that’s open during the day to anyone with a child in a local hospital, the House serves 20,000 people per year.

To enter the Raffle, call 888-824-9939, or go to www.sdraffle.com and print out a registration form. Forms can be mailed or dropped off at Ronald McDonald House of San Diego at 2929 Children’s Way, San Diego, CA 92123.  Entrants may also fax ticket forms to 619-916-3888. Ticket purchasers must be 18 years or older, have US residency and meet other requirements in the Rules and Regulations as specified on www.sdraffle.com.

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RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SAN DIEGO

New leader brings nearly three decades of experience in non-profit management and fundraising and a commitment to serving families with seriously ill children

SAN DIEGO – October 27, 2010 – Charles “Chuck” Day, CFRE, FAHP, has been named president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. Tim Malott, president of the board of trustees, announced Day’s appointment following an extensive search for new leadership.  Day will assume the post on December 1, replacing Bill Lennartz who is retiring after three-and-a-half years in the position.

A veteran non-profit executive in San Diego, Day most recently served as vice president and senior director of philanthropy for Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation. Day was a driving force in raising more than $228 million for the hospital foundation during 15 years of service in positions of increasing responsibility. He brings to Ronald McDonald House more than 28 years of leadership experience across a broad spectrum of roles in non-profit leadership, fundraising, marketing and public relations. In addition to positions at Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation, Day previously served as associate vice president and director of development at Scripps Foundation for Medicine and Science and was founding clinic director of Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders.

“In the past few years, I have seen the Ronald McDonald House blossom from a 12-room home to an expansive resource that has quadrupled in size and now serves the growing needs of our entire community. It’s just magic,” said Day. “Spearheading the effort to raise the money needed to continue supporting families links my passion and experience perfectly. I am honored to serve the community we live in and, more importantly, the families who need us now and in the future,” he added. 

“Chuck deeply understands the important role Ronald McDonald House plays in our community and is poised to lead the organization as we continue to help more and more families,” said Malott. “We are confident he has the experience, skills and passion to guide Ronald McDonald House Charities in our mission to serve families whose children face life-threatening illnesses.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego is currently conducting an ongoing campaign to retire debt incurred to build the new House. Day will lead the effort to raise those funds, as well as strategically direct the organization in a time of continued growth in both size and services provided to families.

(San Diego)(November 2, 2010)— San Diego’s own celebrity executive chef, Brian Malarkey, from Searsucker restaurant, finalist on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” and host of TLC’s “Mega Bites” and “Kick Off Cook Off,” will teach the final 2010 Cooking with Love class on Sunday, November 21 from 3 – 6pm. The class will be held in the expansive, gourmet kitchen at the new Ronald McDonald House at 2929 Children’s Way.

For the class, Chef Malarkey will prepare screaming shrimp ‘n dirty grits along with bacon honey caramel.  Guests are invited to participate in the hands-on cooking session for $100, or to observe the session for $75. Each of the six classes held throughout the year benefit the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego which provides a “home away from home” for families while their child is being treated for serious, often life-threatening illnesses at San Diego hospitals.

An award-winning executive chef, Malarkey’s passion for food and entertaining is the driving force behind his pursuits in both the culinary and entertainment industry. In 2007 he was cast as a contestant on Bravo’s Emmy-nominated series, “Top Chef 3 Miami” where he advanced to the finale, gaining national recognition for his talents, high-energy and captivating charm.

 In 2010, Brian hosted a TLC special called “Mega Bites” in which he broke a world record by constructing gigantic cuisine all for charity within 48 hours.  This year he was also one of the star hosts of TLC’s “Kick Off Cook Off,” serving as the “cheferee” for a fun football-inspired cooking show.  He is a graduate of the Western Culinary Institute’s Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Portland and executive chef and partner at the newly opened Searsucker restaurant located in the Gaslamp Quarter. 

With a state-of-the-art kitchen and six individual cooking stations, as many as 24 people can participate in the class to learn the hands-on techniques of preparing the selected dishes. Participants, audience members, and Ronald McDonald families will then enjoy the menu together

Refreshments will be provided and all attendees will receive programs in which to write down the techniques they learn. To RSVP for the September class in the Cooking with Love series, contact Jill Olsen (858) 598-2445 or jolsen@rmhcsd.org.  

Ronald McDonald House parents, siblings and friends gathered in the Great Room of the House to enjoy a performance of piano tunes ranging from Broadway to Joplin’s ragtime to patriotic favorites for the 4^th, ending with a signature favorite, “The Way We Were”. Hamlisch took his audience on a musical journey over the years and shared his love for the great American songbook. Dominic and Angelo Pizarro, talented young pianists in their own right, provided an "opening act" for Mr. Hamlisch. They are familiar performers to House families, volunteering their talent every Monday evening during dinnertime.

This Julliard graduate, famed conductor and musical composer is one of only ten people to win every major award that exists: three Oscars®, four Grammys®, four Emmys®, a Tony® and three Golden Globe® awards. His groundbreaking show, A Chorus Line, received the Pulitzer Prize. The list of songs associated with his name is endless.

 
On his official website, http://www.marvinhamlisch.com/, he said, “Music can make a difference. There is a global nature to music, which has the potential to bring all people together.” Today, in the “House that love built”, Marvin Hamlisch did just that – bring our families together for a while to escape the challenges of their child’s illness, and enjoy the pleasure of his music.

“RMHC-SD decided to pursue solar energy to create a healthy and sustainable environment for the children and families we serve, and to help greatly offset power costs,” said Bill Lennartz, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. “Our partners have been vital to our success as a resource to families in some of the most challenging times of their lives, and we are excited to now be producing clean solar energy to help us provide care to even more families.”

Bill introduced houseguest, Kim Abramson, who provided a heartfelt perspective on the impact the House has on so many families. With her 1 year old son, Colby in her arms, she shared her family's story of staying at the San Diego Ronald McDonald House during Colby's medical treatment for a rare heart condition, at Rady Children's Hospital. She joyfully shared that she was able to take Colby home just two days ago, but will always be very grateful for the four months of care and compassion she received from everyone she encountered during her stay. She also recalled the many days she and her husband spent sleeping in their car in the early part of Colby's treatment, before they became aware of the services offered by the House. She emphasized that the staff and volunteers "don't realize what a difference they make every day".

The solar installation was designed and constructed by HelioPower and financed by Helio Micro Utility. These modules are among the top-ranked in the industry, which are quickly becoming universally accepted standards for measuring real-world module energy production and performance.  PV Powered, Inc., an Advanced Energy company, supplied the 100kW inverter. Canadian Solar, HelioPower and PV Powered all donated price reductions to benefit the charity. Katrina Perez, of the California Center for Sustainable Design, was also present to deliver a "Solar Partners Recognition Award" to the charity.

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Read our first issue, Winter 2010 "From the Heart".

Funds will build a vehicle turnout at new House for families with sick children

(SAN DIEGO) (May 13, 2010) –Thanks to a $70,000 grant from the County Neighborhood Reinvestment Program recommended by Supervisors Greg Cox and Ron Roberts, families and delivery trucks will now have a safe place to load and unload in front of the new Ronald McDonald House of San Diego on Children’s Way, it was announced today at a press conference held on the site of the future turnout.  The grant will fund a new ADA ramp, as well as a vehicle turnout in front of the House that serves families with seriously ill children in the hospital.

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