LLAM volunteers pictured l to r: Pat Behles, Univ. of Balto.; Jean Hessenauer, Tydings & Rosenberg; Sara Thomas, Whiteford Taylor; and Kathy Sweeney, Semmes, Bowen & Semmes

For the past two years, LLAM has been serving dinner twice a year at the Ronald McDonald House.  Each time we serve, four or five LLAM Members have volunteered.  We purchase the food, transport it to the house, prepare it, and then serve it.  The house holds approximately forty people, and it is usually full.  The Ronald McDonald House is set up like a small hotel.  On the first floor there is a nice family room with a large TV, a playroom, and a game room.  The second and third floors each have kitchens and hotel type rooms.  The kitchens were recently  remodeled and  are very well equipped.  We try to serve several choices of nutritious food and our “bakers” always whip up tasty desserts.

I have been serving dinner at the House for about eight years, and I think everyone who has participated will say how rewarding it is.  The families are so appreciative to have dinner waiting for them when they return from the hospital.  Last month, one dad said, “it is so nice to come back here at night and not have to worry about preparing dinner for my daughter and me.”  Having a very sick child is stressful, so it is nice to be able to take some of the burden from these families.