MASSAGE PROJECT – WESTERN UNIT
Massage Therapy Workgroup needed at the New Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh’s new Ronald McDonald House is connected to Children’s Hospital via a pedestrian bridge at 451 44th Street, Lawrenceville, PA 15201. This facility has tripled its size since the move to the new Children’s Hospital location.
This new building boasts seven floors including 60 fully equipped one-bedroom apartments, fully equipped kitchen stocked with staples, 28-seat dining room, laundry room with all supplies and a large community room with a double-sided fireplace. Amenities include library w/ books, computer software & videos in a computer lab w/ free internet access, daily mail service, phones & voicemail, along with televisions & video game systems.
This new facility located in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, is celebrating their 30th Anniversary. Since Ronald McDonald was founded in 1979, they have provided a “home away from home” for more than 13,000 families whose children are receiving life-saving medical treatment in area hospitals. This facility ensures that they will be able to provide affordable accommodations for many more families in the years ahead, as they face the most challenging times of their lives.
We need your help and support as Massage Therapist. We would love to continue providing massage to Ronald McDonald’s residents every Sunday evening from 6pm to 9pm. Massage table, linens along with a CD player is already set up at the facility. Just bring yourself with your own lotion or oil. Residents travel to Pittsburgh’s Ronald McDonald House from destinations all over the world. Some of these families have been living away from their home for several months and need the restorative care of our Massage Therapists. In order to participate, you must meet some basic requirements.
Please call for details: Jack Smith @ 412-480-0725 or e-mail johnfsmithmt@yahoo.com. You can also visit the Ronald McDonald House website www.rmhcpgh.org & read the Massage Therapy Journal article: http://johnfsmithmt.com/RonaldMcDonaldHouse2004.html for more information on how you can touch lives & hearts, one family at a time at the House that Love Built!
MASSAGE PROJECT – WESTERN UNIT
Described as “Massage at its Best,” volunteers from the Western PA Unit (Pittsburgh and vicinity) donate their time and expertise to the Ronald McDonald House since Cheryl Siniakin started the program 11 years ago. These volunteers donate their time and talents to provide a brief respite to parents of critically ill children receiving treatment in the Pittsburgh area.
Jack Smith, unit Vice- Chair reports that in 2004, the caring and committed volunteers of AMTA offered more than 100 massages. Marsha Morris, Eileen Dorfman, Becky Cordell and Jack Smith have tirelessly opened their hearts and offered their nurturing touch to many families in need.
If you would like to join your peers in offering your support, care and touch to these parents in need, please contact us. Any amount of time would be greatly appreciated. Your generous offering can make a huge difference to the number of people we serve. Volunteering at the Ronald McDonald house can be a good way to warm your heart and energize your soul!
Massage Therapist Jack Smith, who has been volunteering with the program for 2 years, says, “People at an edge-of-death mentality like this forget about their bodily needs because they are focused on their loved ones.” “We talk about how massage can help manage incredible stress and help you come back even stronger,”
A permanent massage table is on site, a donation from Oak Works that is much appreciated by those who avail themselves of our services. You can bring a massage chair with you if you prefer.
The RMH also has a wish list of items that they are always hoping to get through donations. These items range from food, to cleaning supplies, cooking supplies and paper products. If this is of interest to you, please contact JoAnn Kerris at the Pittsburgh RMH, (412-362-3400) or any of the Western Unit AMTA volunteers below:
To learn more about Ronald McDonald House and their programs you can access rmhc.org (national headquarters) or rmhcpgh.org (Pittsburgh site).
Dave Carroll, Chair, Chair Western Group
724-727-3142
email
Jack Smith, Vice Chair, Western Group
412-480-0725
Time: Sunday Evenings
Place: Ronald McDonald House 500 Shady Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ronald McDonald House Massage Project
