By David Thompson
For eight years, the women's soccer team has spent plenty of time atop the college soccer world. During that span, they have spent just as much time giving back to their community. Since 2000, athletes on the University of Portland women's soccer team have volunteered cooking and serving dinner to families that stay at the Ronald McDonald House. This year, the team decided that they would like to provide a little more than just a meal to the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
Led by junior goalkeeper Kelsey Davis, the goal this year is to donate enough money to sponsor a room at the Ronald McDonald House. Davis and Beth Connell, promotions manager at the University of Portland have been working with Siri Hamill, associate director at the Ronald McDonald House over the past months on the project. The $6000 that the team plans to raise will go toward decorating the room in a Pilot soccer theme as well as up-keep of the room for the next five years. "The room will have a University of Portland soccer theme," Hamill said.
The Ronald McDonald House offers a place to stay to families of children who are undergoing medical treatments at nearby hospitals. Each room in the house is decorated to a certain theme. Currently there are rooms decorated with a University of Oregon theme, a room decorated with memorabilia from Oregon State's national champion baseball team, as well as other themes such airplanes and horses.
"Families come to us in tough circumstances and these rooms offer a warm welcoming and allows them to relax a little bit," Tom Soma, executive director of Ronald McDonald Houses of Oregon and Southwest Washington said. "Our rooms allow the parents to get in a state where they can help their kids get better."
There are currently two Ronald McDonald Houses in Portland, the West house and the East house. The women's soccer team's room will be located in the East house, where the team has volunteered for the past eight years.
The relationship between the Pilots and the Ronald McDonald house has always been strong. Soma commented on the relationship between the University of Portland's women's soccer team and the Ronald McDonald House. "I do appreciate the time and energy and commitment through all the years," Soma said. "This started with Clive Charles and it has just continued on through today. It's just great"
Soma can remember a number of individuals who exerted an effort above and beyond a regular volunteer. That trend continues with Davis, who came up with the idea of adapting a room after taking a tour of one of the two houses last spring.
"The plan is for the money to be raised by the end of November," Connell said. The women have decided to paint and design the room by themselves rather than hiring someone to do the job for them. "The girls want to be in charge," Connell said.
The team has been raising money all season. "We have had pretty good support so far. We're about half way to our goal," Davis said. "I think that fans and community have embraced the idea."
As of Oct. 3, the current sum of donations was $2,490.25, but Connell was convinced that they had received around $500 over the weekend.
"Fundraising started out really slow," Connell said, "But now things have picked up and more alumni have heard about it. I'm receiving one or two decent sized donations a day now."
The women are raising money in a variety of different ways. Along with asking for donations during men's games, the women's team has reached out to all season ticket holders and alumni with incentives for donating. The incentives include updates of the room, an invitation to the unveiling of the room, priority purchasing for 2009 season tickets, and priority purchasing for 2008 playoff tickets.
A silent auction is also planned for the Nov. 2 game versus Santa Clara. A practice with the team, lunch with the coaches of the team, and autographed jerseys are just a few items up for auction.
Pilot alum and Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Cox is also getting in on the act. Cox will be at the Oct. 19 game versus Saint Mary's where she will be signing photos for a donation. All proceeds will go toward the Ronald McDonald House.
Soma said that each room can have a lasting impact on the families that stay there. "I can envision Portland alum needing to stay here and feeling almost like they are back on campus," said Soma. "Nobody wants to be here, but this room can offer some peace in their world when they need it most."
If you would like to help by donating money please contact Beth Connell. Cash, checks and cards are all accepted.
If you would like to get involved at the Ronald McDonald House please contact Lindsay Dance at 971-230-6708.
