Ronald McDonald House of NY
10th Annual Skate with the Greats

Jan. 14, 2004

The Rink at Rockefeller Center, New York, NY

New York Rangers star Brian Leetch, along with former Ranger and Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert, took to the rink with kids with cancer and hundreds of invited guests at the “Tenth Annual Skate With The Greats.” The event benefited the Ronald McDonald House of New York, the “home away from home” for pediatric cancer patients and their families, on Wednesday, January 14, at 6:00pm.

Ronald McDonald House is a “home-away-from-home” for children undergoing cancer treatment and their families. It’s absolutely necessary for children undergoing cancer therapy to have their families by their side, especially since a diagnosis of cancer in a child is one of the most emotionally devastating events a family can experience. The anxiety, fear, and uncertainty of such a diagnosis is compounded by the need for the family to travel far away from home for their child to receive treatment. Families must leave their homes, their lives, and often times their livelihoods to come to New York while their children undergo the tremendous emotional and physical challenges of fighting cancer. These families come from all over the world and need, above all, an affordable place to temporarily call home.

Since 1978, Ronald McDonald House has provided a safe, supportive, and caring environment for children and their families in time of crisis. Here families find a strong, supportive, and caring environment that encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Every day, children form friendships with other children and, through these bonds, regain a sense of control and experience the fun of childhood. Parents also gain strength and new understanding through the friendships they form with other parents who understand exactly how they feel.

The goal of Ronald McDonald House is to help families share the normal experiences of life and support growth, learning and independence in the children. As greater numbers of children survive childhood cancer, Ronald McDonald House is being acknowledged increasingly by professionals in the field as an important and supportive adjunct to medical treatment.

We had the opportunity to briefly interview with Mr. Michael Hegarty, Chairman for the Ronald McDonald House. These were some of the things he had to say. “We provide housing for kids and their parents who are coming to New York to go to the hospitals to get treatment for cancer. All of our kids are outpatients at Sloan Kettering, New York Hospital or Mount Sinai, and undergo chemotherapy treatment.” said Mr. Hegerty, who has been Chairman for the past five years. “I got involved with this organization to help the kids because, when they are in this situation, they are defenseless; they don’t know what has happened to them. We’re trying to help them make their life better and help them survive this fight against cancer. If their families were to stay in a hotel, it would cost them two to three hundred dollars a night. Ronald McDonald House started about twenty-six years ago down in Philadelphia by Leonard Tose, and by some franchisees, who came together and started the first house.”. Mr. Hegarty, who is a retired banker by trade, works purely on a voluntary basis. In closing, Mr. Hegarty thanked us for covering this wonderful event, and said that he was very excited to have us.

I also briefly spoke with the organization’s President, Ms. Vivian Harris. Ms. Harris told us that she has been the President of Ronald McDonald House for the past twenty five years. She has also been on the board of other non-profit organizations, such the Boy Scouts of America. Ms. Harris helps in the decision-making process. She is married and has two children. He closing comments are “We’re grateful that the Rangers are here, and grateful that the they came here tonight.” said Vivian Harris, who officially stated that he favorite hockey team is, in fact, the New York Rangers.

From briefly speaking with Mr. Leech, I learned that each of the players is involved with one type of charity or another; some of the other Rangers are involved with organizations that prevent child abuse, some with the Leukemia Society. For Mr. Leech, his choice is, naturally, Ronald McDonald House. He commented that it is pretty special to see people show up for the different charity events and put money toward fundraising for these special causes.

After briefly speaking with Rod Gilbert, former New York Rangers player and Hall of Famer, I learned that he is also on the board of charities than Ronald McDonald House, such as the main charity of Madison Square Garden, “Cheering for Children”, “Big Brothers/Big Sisters”, “The Leukemia Society.” The “ALS Foundation.”.

There were auction items available for silent auction bidding. There were other Rangers on hand, each wearing their official Ranger jerseys. Among them were Jed Ortmyer, Vladimir Malakhov, Chad Wiseman, Darius Kasparaitis, Dale Purinton,. and more, all who signed autographs and mixed and mingled with the kids—it was the kids’ day.

There was plenty of food available from the hot buffet, and an opportunity to see kids skate with their favorite hockey stars on the ice, with great rinkside view.

We would like to thank Mr. David Lipke, and Bruce Bobbins, public relationists from the DKC Public Relations Company, for inviting us to cover this wonderful humanitarian event and helping us to interview some of these people. We would like to thank and salute them.

Anyone wishing more information about Ronald McDonald House of New York may visit their website, at http://www.rmdh.org/index.htm

Abbey H. Muneer is the Executive Director of H.A.D. Organization of New York City, Inc., a world-famous athlete, author and, above all, a humanitarian. Abbey will write articles about charity events, benefits, fundraisers and galas which are raising money for humantiarian causes. If you are interested in having Abbey and one his staff members cover one of your charity events, benefits, fundraisers or galas, feel free to notify us one week in advance, at LNEvents@hadofnyc.org, or telephone us at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. and ask to speak to Abbey or Maria. If you would like more information, or would like to have Liberty News Online Magazine consult your next charitable event, please feel free to visit our website, at http://www.hadofnyc.org/store/success.html, email us at humanitarians@hadofnyc.org, or telephone our hotline, at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. (U.S.A.)