SASKATOON The Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon is not letting a global pandemic stand in the way of fulfilling its mission of helping Saskatchewan families with sick children. “What I see in my colleagues is a common desire to have an impact in our community,” explained Director of Human Resource Development Kim Gilbert. The House was forced to close when COVID-19 arrived in Saskatoon. In June of 2020, the organization did a soft launch where 12 of 34 rooms were made available to families from across the province. “We ran the gambit of families that were like, ‘oh good, now we can stay,’ to families that were like, ‘communal living environment, not sure I want to go there,” explained CEO Tammy Forrester. “I would say our slow opening allowed for some people to feel like it was safe for them. So they knew that it was a 34 room house but only 12 families were here.”
“What better time than Family Day in Saskatchewan to recognize our partners, who everyday help keep families close at Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan,” said Tammy Forrester, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan. “We extend particular gratitude and appreciation this Family Day month, to Weyburn’s local McDonald’s owner operator Amir Aminpour.” She noted that through their McDonald’s giving over the years, Amir and his team have been able to support families from Weyburn, and beyond, who have needed to travel for the medical needs of their child or children. In the past two years, 11 families from the city of Weyburn have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon for a total of 67 nights – and the McDonald’s in Weyburn has supported them.
Submitted by Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan was created to serve families from across the province, providing a safe, homelike . . .
SASKATOON A charity organization for families receiving medical treatment in Saskatoon has won its appeal for a small expansion to its facility on the corner of University Drive and Clarence Avenue. Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan (RMHS) initially approached the City of Saskatoon seeking a development permit to repurpose an outdoor deck area and to use the space to expand its dining area. The centre houses out-of-town pediatric patients receiving medical treatment, as well as their families. According to city documents, the development permit was denied because the addition would not leave the minimum-required front yard space of six metres to the adjacent roadway. According to a city assessment, the addition would only leave 4.4 metres of distance.