A Dedicated RMHC-Denver Volunteer
Cheryl’s journey with Ronald McDonald House Charities-Denver began over 40 years ago! Her high school student government team came to the original Denver House, a converted Victorian mansion, to paint the front porch. They wanted to make a positive and welcoming impression for families who had traveled a great distance seeking medical treatment for their kids. This experience created many positive memories.
Cheryl has always had a passion for teaching. Born and raised in Colorado, she knew since the fourth grade that she wanted to be a teacher. She initially pursued a business degree at CU Boulder, but when her father got sick in her 30s, it hit her just how short life can be. So, she went back to school and became an elementary teacher, a job that lets her connect deeply with kids.
Not that she had any “spare” time with a full-time job and a family of her own, but Cheryl decided to come volunteer with us again. She was delighted to find a position working at the front desk where she could directly connect and support families in the new and much larger Denver House. “This was a role I cherished!” shared Cheryl. “It meant so much to help the families when they needed to focus on their hospitalized child.” Cheryl worked every Sunday, helping families and occasionally even catching up on grading papers.
A Favorite Memory/Volunteer Moment
One of her favorite memories involves helping a young family from Japan staying at RMHC-Denver while waiting for a heart transplant for their child. Cheryl remembers answering the phone at the front desk and learning that it was the hospital trying to reach the family, who wasn’t answering the phone in their room and cell phones weren’t yet popular. The news was important — there was a donor heart available, so Cheryl dashed around the house and grounds, found them, and shared the incredible news.
A Key Contributor to the Storybook Ball
Fast forward to 2011, Cheryl transitioned to a new volunteer position helping ensure the success of RMHC-Denver’s annual fundraising gala, the Storybook Ball. She works with Carol Griffin, the Donor Relations and Event Manager, and a small and mighty committee that plans, executes and works the event. Known as the “queen of procuring donations” for the gala, Cheryl’s contributions are invaluable. Carol remarked, “Cheryl will be in charge of all of us next year. I seriously don’t know what we’d do without her.”
A Fun Fact
Cheryl shared a fun fact: she was once a contestant on “The Price is Right.” After graduating from college, she and her friends decided to attend the show on a whim during a trip to Los Angeles. To her surprise, Cheryl was called on stage and ended up winning two bikes, an oven, a leather chair and a wooden secretary desk.
Why Volunteer with RMHC-Denver
When asked why she continues to volunteer at RMHC-Denver, Cheryl said, “I volunteer here because it’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. Every time I leave, I am grateful for my and my family’s health.” Cheryl’s dedication and love for RMHC-Denver shine through in everything she does, making a real difference in the community.