Volunteer of the Month: Christine Powell
January 24th, 2018
At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison, volunteers are the heart and soul of everything we do. They are a truly amazing group of caring, gifted people who bring a diverse range of talent to our House. RMHC-Madison volunteers selflessly offer their time, energy, and kindness to the House and the families we serve.
Christine has supported the House as a regular weekly volunteer and we are excited to honor her as January’s Volunteer of the Month!
How long have you been volunteering at RMHC-Madison?
Just about a year. I started at the end of January 2017.
How did you initially get involved with us?
Two sets of friends in the Twin Cities (where I am from) have used the Houses in Minneapolis and St. Paul with their kids. They were getting together a group to cook dinner for the House one night, and I was too far away to participate, so I decided to check out the local Ronald McDonald House.
What is your favorite thing about volunteering here?
Meeting the families in the kitchen and chatting as I tidy up. There are so many people from all over with different backgrounds. I love to see some of the more energetic kids running around with the cars from the playroom, as well.
Do you have a favorite memory with RMHC?
I think my favorite one so far has been helping with Thanksgiving. We had a ton of people staying at the House and their families came to visit them – multiple generations. I also got to meet one of the staff member’s family who came to help! We had so much food, we were running out of horizontal places to put everything.
What types of things have you done while volunteering for RMHC-Madison?
I’m an evening volunteer, so I come the same night every week after work. Most nights it’s light house chores and tidying up after dinner. But, I also drive guests to and from the hospital, set up cribs and Pack and Plays, give tours, and help check people in.
Tell us something about you we don’t know.
I used to work for a board game company and have about 500 games. I have about a dozen people over most Saturdays to play games. The company named a monster ‘boss’ after me (or my nickname). I was a hill troll!
What would you say to someone who is considering becoming a volunteer?
Definaitely give it a try! The shifts are not long, and most of the work is within the normal things people do in their own homes. I’ve enjoyed meeting the families and other volunteers.