Coweta 4-H assists Ronald McDonald House Charities
Pictured above is 7-year-old Anna Hammond, whose family has directly benefited from the Ronald McDonald House Her family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Atlanta when Anna had life-saving surgery when she was two months old.
By BILL HAMMOND, Coweta County 4-H Extension Agent
Coweta 4-H is making a difference in the lives of families in need, and they need your help.
For many years, Georgia 4-H has collected pop tabs from aluminum soda cans for recycling. The proceeds from recycling are donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This year, Coweta County 4-H collected over 330 pounds of pop tabs, combined them with pop tabs from all of Georgia 4-H, and donated the recycling proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House.
The Ronald McDonald House is a place where families with children who are sick or injured can stay when they need medical care far from home. This charity provides families with a place to sleep, eat, and relax at no cost while their child receives treatment in a nearby hospital. The goal of the Ronald McDonald House is to help families stay close to their children during difficult times without having to worry about where they will sleep or how they will pay for a hotel, allowing parents to focus on what matters most: their child’s health and recovery. Recycling pop tabs is just one way that Georgia 4-H helps support youth and families and shows how small actions can make a big difference when a community works together.
You can be part of this amazing effort. It’s easy. All you need to do is save your pop tabs from aluminum cans in a sealable plastic bag or other container, and bring them to your nearest elementary school, or the Coweta Extension Office. Encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to collect pop tabs too. The more people who participate, the more tabs will be collected, and the more money will be raised to help families in need. It’s a simple way to make a big difference in a family’s life during a trying time.
One of our young 4-H members, Anna Hammond and her family, have directly benefited from the Ronald McDonald House. Anna was born with a congenital heart defect which needed life-saving surgery when she was just 2 months old. At the time, she lived 4 hours away from the children’s hospital, Anna’s family was able to stay at the nearby Atlanta Ronald McDonald House while she was in the hospital for 13 days. During this time, the family had a room to rest in, food and snacks to eat, and support from fellow residents while they helped her recover. Anna is now a happy and energetic 7-year-old who is part of the Coweta 4-H Cloverbuds Club and 4-H Homeschool Club and is eager to be more involved in 4-H as she grows up.
When you collect pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, you are not just recycling. You are helping provide a safe and supportive place for families who are going through a tough time. You are showing them that people care and making it possible for them to be close to their children as they recover. Your efforts, along with Georgia 4-H, can help change lives and bring hope to families when they need it most. So, start saving your pop tabs today and be part of something special! Every tab counts, and together, Coweta County 4-H can “Make the Best Better” by supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
For more information about 4-H or how to support the Ronald McDonald House with your pop tabs, contact the Coweta County Extension Office at 770-254-2620 or [email protected].
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution.
