Carson King became the new spokesperson for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa earlier this year and traveled to Carroll in mid-March. He was here to film an interview with a local family that was one of the first to utilize the new house in Des Moines that opened on Jan. 2, 2020. Board President, Mike Bach, says this is an awareness and fundraising campaign that will continue through the end of this month (September).
Bach points out the residences are funded solely through these types of fundraising efforts and through local McDonald’s franchise owners. The McDonald’s corporation does not provide any monetary support. A Carroll couple, Noah Dryden, who is on the wastewater team at JEO Consulting, and his wife, Dr. Meredith Dryden with the McFarland Clinic, were among those utilizing this new residence. Both grew up in Carroll and moved back in July of 2019 to raise their family, which includes three-year-old Leroy and eight-month-old Amelia. Noah says shortly after Amelia was born, a tragic healthcare situation developed.
Noah adds that it was critical and beneficial for them to get into the new house so they could be close to Amelia. And, with Meredith being a breast-feeding mother, she could respond within minutes. Meredith explains that another key aspect of having a home-like atmosphere involved her husband, Noah.
The family spent 21 days at the Ronald McDonald House, bringing Amelia home well on the road to recovery. Noah says he too is doing well and the help they received was instrumental in the outcome; making them lifelong supporters of this particular charity.
Carson King says he became involved when the team at the Barrett Boesen Foundation got together to brainstorm ways to support this effort.
Of course, King is also the face of the Venmo campaign for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa and donations can be made through RMH Des Moines on Venmo. The website, listed below, can be accessed for those interested in volunteering or making a donation. The campaign is made up of five interviews, which also includes the Erin and Kerri McAlexander family of Rockwell City who lost their son, 17-year-old Jacy, to bone cancer in 2018 and Tanner and Tate Lawton of Scranton.
_________________________________
To donate or volunteer:
Web page: https://rmhdesmoines.org/
Phone: 515-243-2111
