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PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland women’s soccer team unveiled a UP soccer-themed room on Saturday at the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Oregon & Southwest Washington, Legacy Emanuel Hospital campus. The soccer program has had a long history of volunteer service at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) and expanded that into a fundraising campaign to ‘Adopt-a-Room’ during the fall of 2008.
The goal of raising $5,000 to ‘Adopt-a-Room’ was exceeded by November and the team, led by junior goalkeeper Kelsey Davis, arranged for the creation and decoration of the UP room. After the final touches were put on the room, the entire team and selected donors of the fundraising drive met for the official unveiling on the morning of Saturday, March 28th. Photos of the process and room unveiling can be seen here.
The Ronald McDonald Houses® provide a “home away from home” for families and their seriously ill children who travel far to receive treatment at local hospitals. Since the first Portland Ronald McDonald House opened 25 years ago, more than 22,000 families have come through our doors, far from home, needing a place to stay.
The Pilots women’s soccer team has frequently volunteered by cooking dinner and spending time with families at the house. During a tour of the house on a visit in early 2008, Davis noticed that various rooms had specific themes and inquired about what it takes to have a UP-specific room. She was told that about a $6,000 donation on behalf of the team would secure a room for a five-year period and the Pilots would have creative control over the decorating.
Davis then put the plan in motion to begin a fundraiser with the goal of raising at least $5,000 during the 2008 fall soccer season. The team was able to raise over $7,000 in a three-month period, concluded at the final regular season home game on November 2 with an auction of UP soccer-related memorabilia.
Other donations were gathered by UP women’s soccer team members from fans at other athletic events, at halftime of home games by allowing fans to pay $1 to score a goal on Merlo Field, by season ticket holders making donations over the phone, and by former Pilot and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Stephanie Cox signing limited edition autograph cards for donations at a game in late October.
The UP soccer program plans to maintain the room throughout the five-year period and continue volunteering to cook dinners and be available for other requests from the Ronald McDonald House staff. The team plans to have underclassmen pass on the service tradition to others coming into the program after the seniors graduate and move on.
ABOUT RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES® OF OREGON & SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
Celebrating 25 Years of Helping Families
Portland’s two Ronald McDonald Houses® provide a “home away from home” for families and their seriously ill children who travel far to receive treatment at local hospitals. Since the first Portland Ronald McDonald House opened 25 years ago, more than 22,000 families have come through our doors, far from home, needing a place to stay. Through its Outreach Program, RMHC funds free dental care and immunizations for approximately 15,000 children throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington each year.
