By Jason J. Marchi, Courier
Correspondent:
Pattie McKnight and
her husband, John, have owned the McDonald’s at 129 Washington Avenue in North Haven for
10 years and during that time, both as business owners and North
Haven residents, they’ve devoted themselves to fundraising causes,
especially those related to the Ronald McDonald House and most recently a walk
to help cancer patients.
Last May, Pattie
helped run the New Haven
walk organized by Y-ME, a national organization committed to helping women
facing breast cancer. In addition to the New
Haven event, walks were conducted in 15 cities across
the nation and some 50,000 people participated.
“Last year was the
first year the Y-ME had a walk here in Connecticut,
so it was the first time McDonalds sponsorship was brought in,” Pattie explains
for her involvement. “Because this was the first year and because the walk was
added late in their cycle, we didn’t have the headway we wished we would have
had. But we’re already working on this year’s, which will be set for Mother’s
Day in 2009.”
Perhaps unusually,
it didn’t take a diagnosis of cancer in anyone Pattie knows personally to
motivate her into action. As a local businesswoman, Pattie says she feels it’s
important to give back to the community and to help those in need.
In addition to the
annual cancer walk, Pattie is involved year-round with at the Ronald McDonald
House of New Haven. After 18 months on the charity’s Board of Directors, during
which she served as vice-president, Pattie will now step into the coming new
year as board president.
“My husband John was
on the board of the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven for eight years and I
just started a year ago on the board,” Pattie says, adding “you don’t need to
be affiliated with McDonalds to help out at the house. The Ronald McDonald
House of New Haven serves all of Connecticut…Any kids who come in from any
major hospital in the state for treatment can stay at the house.
“This little boy,”
Pattie says, and points at a photograph hanging in the restaurant, “is from
Puerto Rico and he’s in the hospital right now having liver surgery. So many of
these children are displaced. They’re from Puerto Rico, from Ecuador, from Guatemala,
and we have a young girl now from Waterbury with a premature baby. These people
have to be treated at the hospitals for as long as six months some times, so
where do they live?”
Pattie says some
people are surprised to discover how far away from their own home the ill and
their families travel to end up at the Ronald McDonald House.
“Since we have some
of the best hospitals in Connecticut, kids are coming from all over the world
to get treatment here,” Pattie explains. “But the downside of that is the fact
that these families can’t afford hotels for an extended time. That’s where our
mission comes in—to give a home away from home to families of critically ill
children who are being treated at local hospitals.”
In the tough
economic climate, the charity is, as ever, reliant upon donations to create
their caring community.
“We’re very lucky
that we have a lot of food donated, so the kitchen is always stocked,” Pattie
says of the big old colonial home on George Street in New Haven. “When you walk
in you’ll find any number of mothers cooking dinner for their families, and
moms sitting with other moms, so it’s a good network of people who really
understand what they’re going through because they’re going through the same
thing.”
This December,
Pattie is sponsoring the 19th annual Trees of Hope holiday spectacular at the
Long Wharf Maritime Center to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut.
“There will be a
dazzling display of 70 decorated trees, each of which will go home to a lucky
raffle winner,” Pattie says.
The 19th annual Trees of Hope holiday
spectacular to benefit the Ronald McDonald House is open daily from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. from Dec. 6 to 14, at the Long Wharf Maritime Center, 555 Long Wharf
Drive, New Haven. Free admissions. Free parking on weekends. For info, visit
www.rmh-ct.org.
Pictured: North
Haven resident Pattie McKnight is an ardent supporter of a number of charities,
including the Ronald McDonald House in New
Haven where next month she assumes the post of
president of the board of directors. Pattie is also behind the 19th Annual
Trees of Hope holiday spectacular from Dec. 6 to 14 that will benefit the
Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut.
Photo by Jason J. Marchi
To nominate a person
of the week, email Jason Marchi at j.marchi@shorepublishing.com or call
203-245-1877 x 6166.