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July 22, 2003

4-H lends a helping hand to Ronald McDonald house

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – More than 700 Indiana 4-H members donated "wish list" items to the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, a home away from home for families of children being treated at Indianapolis area hospitals.

Participants in the annual 4-H Youth Round-Up, held in June on Purdue's West Lafayette campus, were asked to donate one item.

"Some donated just one item, some donated a sackful. It was wonderful to see 4-Hers become so involved in such a beneficial community service project," said Chris Cook-Leitz, a 4-H youth specialist.

Some wish list items donated to Ronald McDonald House included batteries, bottled water, shower curtain hooks, paper towels and scotch tape, to list a few. The hundreds of items collected were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis earlier this month.

Each year the 4-H Round-Up Committee chooses a community service project to involve 4-H youth in serving their community. In past years community service projects have included a food drive and a school supply drive.

"When choosing a community service project this year, we wanted to choose an organization that reached beyond Lafayette and outside of Indiana," Cook-Leitz said. "The Ronald McDonald House is a wonderful institution that, in our case, allows youth to help youth."

Currently the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana offers 52 guest rooms to families each night. With homes located across the United States, Ronald McDonald House provides a place where families can support each other during stressful times when their child is seriously ill or injured.

"It's about people doing the right thing for their community, so we definitely enjoy helping youth to volunteer and help the Ronald McDonald House," said Victoria Evans, volunteer services manager at the Ronald McDonald House. "4-H is such a wonderful group. We hope that is was a meaningful experience for the 4-H youth to volunteer and help a very worthy cause."

Writer: Meggie Issler, (765) 494-8402, agnews-stories@purdue.edu

Source: Chris Cook- Leitz, (765) 494-8437, cookleit@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/

Related Web site:
Indiana 4-H/Youth


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