Five Questions: Bonnie Keller

Q: What is the mission of Ronald McDonald House?

A: We help families of seriously ill or injured children who have to travel to Springfield for treatment. We provide a home away from home for those families, so they have a base of support. Most of our families are going through the most difficult thing a family will ever experience … and we provide a place they can call home and really spend some good time with other families going through the same thing.

Q: What about the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, also called the Tooth Truck?

A: We started that about six years ago, and what we do is we travel from school to school and … operate as a full-fledged dental clinic for those children. We complete their treatment plan; we make sure they know how to prevent cavities; and we make sure they have a healthy smile by the end of their treatment. … We’ve provided 20,000 dental appointments, for 7,000 kids, worth $4.2 million.

Q: Why do you think you were chosen for this award?

A: Ronald McDonald House seems to attract a lot of women in its supporters, volunteers and donors, and that is one aspect. But I think it’s also that I’ve been involved (with Ronald McDonald House) for such a long time. The way it was explained to me is that it’s about the ability to have been involved for such a long time with an organization that helps families. I have three daughters (Crosby, 13, and twins Kennedy and Savannah, 9) and, to me, the most successful life I could have is having a strong impact on their lives and helping them. That’s one reason the award means so much to me.

Q: Have current economic conditions made gathering donations more difficult?

A: So far, we’ve been fine. I think there’s a flip side to the economic problems – people do experience them, but they also realize there’s a lot more people out there who need help. It’s our job to keep the message strong. Our biggest job this year is to … remind people how much the people in our organization and the kids on the tooth truck need our help. This community is one of the most generous; I’ve never seen this community not respond to a need.

Q: With the difficult situations facing the families you help, how do you keep a positive attitude?

A: With every single family, as tragic as their situations can be, there are also so many great things that can happen for that family. The vast majority of children that have families here, the children do get better and get treated. Sometimes it’s a long road to recovery, but you see the motivation and the spirit of the parents, the volunteers and the staff who work here, and the donors who make it all possible, and there’s such a silver lining in that cloud.

I feel blessed in that I don’t live in a cynical world here. People really want to help each other and make the world a better place.

Interview by Jeremy Elwood.[[In-content Ad]]