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Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Thanks The Trains at NorthPark Sponsors

The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas thanked the sponsors and donors of The Trains at NorthPark on November 5 at the home of Len Critcher right before the favorite holiday exhibit opens on November 22. New this year is the location, Level One near Nordstrom, and new to the exhibit is the addition of the Perot Museum to the Dallas skyline.

Jill Cumnock, CEO of Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, welcomed about 100 supporters. “Thank you for your support. The House is at 93% capacity tonight, and The Trains raises nearly a third of our operating budget. Our Trains co-chairs, Jamie Singer and Tia Wynne, have done a tremendous job of fundraising.”

Jamie Singer, who has volunteered for the Ronald McDonald House since she was in high school, thanked Claire Raggio and Courtney Westerburg, last year’s Trains co-chairs who organized the sponsor party. “I’m also pleased to announce next year’s Trains co-chairs, Jennifer Tobin and April Cook, to fill our shoes.

Tia Wynne, who has taken her children to the attraction for several years, added, “Thank you for Bank of Texas for helping make the Trains roll as our presenting sponsor for the sixth year.

Bank of Texas’ Bob White added, “What Ronald McDonald House of Dallas does is important work, and it’s a pleasure for us to be a part of this community.”

Dr. Jeffrey Fearon and his wife, Regen Fearon, serve as this year’s Honorary Co-chairs.

He told a personal story from his childhood about how his mother had taken his sister to Boston Children’s when she was very ill, and there wasn’t a Ronald McDonald House for his mother. She stayed in a hotel by herself and apart from the family. Fast forward years later, and he worked at the same hospital.

Through his practice as a craniofacial surgeon, he sees plenty of patients, many of whom stay at the House. He finally decided as a family that he and Regen needed to take their twins and visit this place. “I was taken by the humanity of the people feeding families at the House.” He was referring to the fact that volunteers serve families three homemade meals a day, the caring staff that supports the families, and the comfortable accommodations each family receives. “The amount of stress that the House reduces is enormous.”

 

About The Trains at NorthPark:

The Trains at NorthPark, presented by Bank of Texas, will celebrate its 27th year in Dallas and 16th year at NorthPark Center in 2014 as it rolls from November 22, 2014 to January 4, 2015. The most elaborate toy trains exhibit in Texas, The Trains at NorthPark includes trains rolling across 1,600 feet of track on a journey across America as seen through Santa’s workshop with various vignettes. New this year is the Perot Museum, which will be featured in the Dallas cityscape. Also new is the space, which is on Level One near Nordstrom. Tickets are $7.00 for adults; $3.00 for children (ages 2 to 12) and senior citizens (65 and older); children under 2 admitted free. Discount tickets for $1.00 off regular admission are available at Tom Thumb.

 

Since 1987, The Trains at NorthPark has raised money for the children and families served by the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. Currently this annual fundraiser provides the funds for almost one-third of our annual operating budget.

 

Ways to Support The Trains at NorthPark:

The Trains at NorthPark offers sponsorship opportunities to individuals, businesses, community organizations and schools. For those interested, contact Diane Fullingim, Chief Development Officer, at dfullingim@rmhdallas.org.

 

Hand-painted railcars are available to purchase, and they can be personalized. A standard railcar is $175, a caboose is $225, a limited edition RMHD rail car is $275 and an engine is $325. Visit http://www.thetrainsatnorthpark.com/ to place an online order.

 

Volunteers:

More than 1,500 volunteers are needed to run the trains. For those interested in volunteering as individuals or as a group to work three-hour shifts, visit http://www.thetrainsatnorthpark.com/. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old without a parent, or 12-14 years old and accompanied by a parent.

 

Benefits:

Established in 1981, the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas has served as a home-away-from-home for more than 35,000 families of seriously ill or injured children who have traveled to Dallas seeking medical treatment in area hospitals. By providing a caring, supportive, home-like environment, the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas keeps the family intact and helps allow a family to establish a normal routine in the midst of crisis. It also provides families with the opportunity to share their concerns with other families in similar circumstances. For more information, call 214-631-7354 or visit http://www.thetrainsatnorthpark.com/.

 

 

 

The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark
Thursday, 13 November 2014