American Amish Company Donates to Ronald McDonald House

The American Amish company recently added a Morgantown, WV sales lot. While setting up the business, owner John Bartley noticed the Ronald McDonald House. He observed a lack of outdoor renovations with a 15 year old, unsealed deck and badly worn furniture.

The Ronald McDonald house provides a home away from home for the families of children in nearby hospitals. You can see the Mountaineer football field from the porch. “You look over and see perfectly strong athletes in a $200 million facility and 60,000 people who are at least healthy enough to get there. It makes you feel neglected.”

Bartley is familiar with the void the Ronald McDonald House tries to fill because he has witnessed it first hand. Both of John’s brothers and his office manager have had occasion to use Ronald McDonald houses in Morgantown and Baltimore.

John Bartley and his staff decided to do what they could to improve the facility. To start, they refinished and sealed the wooden porch. Bartley said he made certain to donate plenty of furniture that rocks or glides. “The back and forth motion is soothing and the people at the Ronald McDonald house need anything comforting they can get.”

The outdoor playground now has a miniature log cabin and in the spring, the American Amish Co. will add brand new vinyl swing sets.

“You can’t walk past people in need,” Bartley said, “It doesn’t seem right.”

Kuhn said the Morgantown facility serves approximately 1,400 families a year. There is a waiting list of 10 to 20 families at any given time of families in need of the room and board the Ronald McDonald house provides. “We take care of two basic needs, so they can focus on the health and well-being of their child instead of worrying about high hotel and food costs.”

“It’s been an ongoing process, but this gentleman moves fast!” said Jeannie Kuhn, Special Events Coordinator for the Morgantown Ronald McDonald House. “We have the resources to do it.” Bartley said. “If you mean what you say and you say what you mean, things shouldn’t take years to do, you know?”

Posted 2009-04-23