Thanksgiving Traditions

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, it’s easy to be excited! Time with far-away family and friends, pumpkin pies, and family traditions—they’re all part of what makes the holidays so exciting! For families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, though, it’s harder to feel that same excitement. Their holiday routines are turned upside down and anticipation turns to apprehension because a huge part of what makes this time of year so magical is missing.

And even though we know that it isn’t the same as being in their own home, we try to make the holidays a special time of year for the families. We’re also lucky to have help! Each year, we are blessed with amazing volunteers who give up their time to make sure that the house families are taken care of and enjoy many of their same traditions, including the Thanksgiving feast.

At the Ronald McDonald House next to Avera McKennan, we are excited to have Jo and Ron Braddock of Gayville show up on our doorstep on Thanksgiving morning. They have been giving guests a sense of normal for the past seven years. Jo says that she and Ron started preparing the Thanksgiving meal after he heard a radio commercial asking for volunteers. Since their grown children live in Ft. Worth and Denver and they have a “no-travel” pact, the couple wanted to do something with their time. They began helping with the food preparation back when the Ronald McDonald House was located on Norton Avenue. Jo and Ron stay overnight in order to give the staff a break.

 

“We look forward to it. I think it’s good my husband thought of it. It’s been his project. We just enjoy doing it. The families appreciate it very much. The community is very lucky to have such a great, caring facility,” Jo said.

The sentiment is echoed at the Ronald McDonald House located across from the Sanford Children’s Hospital. Rob Vanveldhuizen, his wife Donna, and their children daughter Izzy, 13, and son Mike, 16, have been preparing the Thanksgiving meal for the past 11 years. They also started at the Norton House when a family from their church saw an advertisement for volunteers in the weekly bulletin. The family starts preparations on Wednesday--also taking time to meet the house families. Like the Braddocks, they also spend the night at the house. Then, on Thursday morning, the Vanveldhuizens get up early to begin cooking. They spend the afternoon cleaning up and serving the families who couldn’t make it to the noon meal.

Rob says his daughter put it best this year when she said, “I know we do this to help other people, but I really have a lot of fun.” And like the Braddocks, Rob and his family have a great reason for wanting to help. Their son was born premature and had to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit over Thanksgiving. Rob says it was very difficult for him and Donna and that they know how hard it is to worry about their children.

We would like to thank the Braddocks and Vanveldhuizens for their dedication to our families. Family traditions can be started anywhere, and each year, we are proud to extend House rituals to our extended family. Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!