This Saturday night, I'm going to be appearing at a fundraiser at the Landmark Americana Restaurant at 1 Mullica Hill Road, in Glassboro, for the South Jersey Chapter of the Ronald McDonald House.

Landmark Americana in Glassboro (Photo: Google Maps)
Landmark Americana in Glassboro (Photo: Google Maps)
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They help families stay together, and rest and recharge to remain strong for their child. They interact with families going through similar experiences, enjoy home-cooked meals, and receive compassionate hospitality from staff and volunteers — all just minutes from the hospital where their child is.

Ronald McDonald House and Red Shoe Society Logos (Photos courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
Ronald McDonald House and Red Shoe Society Logos (Photos courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
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Charlene Madden, who is with the Red Shoes Society which is a group within the house, called me on New Jersey 101.5 to talk about the incredible work that they do:

We are a group within the house. We spread the word about the Ronald McDonald House, and what it is. In reference to, as far as children, going there when they're sickly, and that's their home away from home; and it could be for any amount of time. It could be a week, could be weeks, it could be months. Sometimes, the children there go back and forth six or seven times a year.

Red SHoe Society Disney Room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
Red SHoe Society Disney room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
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So, what we do is we do fundraisers, and we help to support the house in that way. We, we have a room that we sponsor within the house, and that pays for the room for the whole entire year.

Appearing with me Saturday at the Landmark will be Funny Lady and National Comedy Competition Champ, ‘MISSY’ Hall; who has appeared on Tru TV and in a couple of films. Her comedy CD ‘Miss Representation’ was voted one of the best on Pandora radio. Mark these words, you will laugh your buns off with her wild routines about life and love! Also on stage is her funny husband Jeremy Hall, who was the DE Comedy Competition Champ.

Husband and wife comics, Jeremy and Missy Hall (Photo courtesy of Andrew Scarpati)
Husband and wife comics, Jeremy and Missy Hall (Photo courtesy of Andrew Scarpati)
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Why do we do this? I asked Charlene Madden for some stories to answer that question.

I actually have two which are pretty quick. The Hawaiian-themed lunch that we did the one time we had backdrops. And I was trying to take different pictures, and we always have to get permission from the family.

And one Father said 'yes' to him and his child who was staying there, and another child they had and the mother said, 'No.' And the mother said, 'Okay, I would like to do it just for, you know, me and the kids then.'

Red Shoe Society Disney Room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
Red Shoe Society Disney room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
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The mother was just because she was very shy, and very quiet. And, she wasn't really sure about anything. And then she changed her mind and I took the picture. And then she looked at it and she started to cry. And she said, 'I've never had an actual family picture of me and my husband and kids together. Could you please send me that picture?' And it was very heartfelt that she's never had a picture with her children together because of the one child being sick.

Red Shoe Society Disney room bathroom (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
Red Shoe Society Disney room bathroom (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
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The other one was my very first year volunteering as one of the Red Shoe Society members. I went to our holiday party there, and all the families and children, and we had a big choir singing. We had the Christmas tree lighting and everything, and there was a little boy there. And he was in a wheelchair, and he had both his legs in casts. He had these little tiny glasses on, and he was just so adorable; I couldn't stop staring at him.

Red Shoe Society Disney Room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
Red Shoe Society Disney Room (Photo courtesy of Red Shoe Society)
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And he got so excited when Ronald McDonald came in, and he just kept repeating, 'Ronald McDonald, Ronald McDonald,' and he was getting so excited. And then Ronald McDonald came and took a picture with him. And he was just beside himself. And I said, 'Oh my God, if he's acting like this, what Ronald McDonald? Can you see how he's going to be when Santa Claus walks out?' Oh when Santa Claus walked out, I thought the child lost his mind. So they both took a picture together with him and the child was just beside himself with joy. And I came home and I told my husband, I said, 'I am so happy that I went tonight.' I said, 'this little boy just made my whole entire night, I am so glad I am doing this.'

I'm so glad to be doing this too. For tickets to this incredible fundraiser click here.

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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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