Join RMH for Jazz Night on the Rail

The Ronald McDonald House of Galveston has been a vital part of the community for almost 23 years, and I am proud and honored to be serving as its 2012 president.

Having served on the board of directors for the last several years, I cannot begin to tell you what a rewarding experience it has been to be associated with such a caring and dedicated organization.

The house that love built is a home away from home for families of children seeking medical treatment at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Galveston and the Transitional Learning Center.

The house is more than a place to stay — it is a safe, comfortable and necessary refuge for families who might have traveled from around the world to seek treatment for their children.

We have been blessed and are so appreciative of the donations we have received through the years from our many devoted donors and like any charity today, the Ronald McDonald House continues to rely on the generosity of its community to enable it to continue its mission.

I would like to give the Galveston community the opportunity to show its support by joining us as the house celebrates its 23rd birthday at a Jazz Night on the Rail event honoring Dr. Joan Richardson, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

The festivities will be from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. May 19 at the Railroad Museum, 25th Street and The Strand, in Galveston. Music will be provided by the Mambo Jazz Kings. Scrumptious food and fantastic silent auction items will be in abundance.

We have a wonderful board of directors, volunteers and employees who make my job so much easier. Please consider joining in the fun for a very worthy cause. As a former president of the house always says, “do it for the children.”

Karen Flowers lives in Galveston.