American Legion's 25th District Helps LLRMH "Grow to Meet the Need"

LOMA LINDA >> American Legion’s 25th District held their Annual Walk For Kids on Saturday, April 9, and spread more than hope and smiles as they donated all proceeds on Tuesday, May 24. This year the American Legion decided to contribute the proceeds to a local cause: Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House (LLRMH). Executive Director at LLRMH Mike Kovack and Event Manager Danielle Grout joined members of the 25th District of American Legion’s from various groups (Auxiliary, Sons, etc.) Carol Fuqua, Scott Fuqua, Hazel Diaz, and Charles Hicks Jr. outside the construction site of the expansion of Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House to officially donate the grand total of $5,931.50. According to District 25’s 3rd Vice Commander Charles Hicks Jr., they have been doing to Walk For Kids event for sixteen years, since 2000. Every year the 25th District family comes together to raise money for various organizations. Carol Fuqua, from the American Legion Auxiliary and co-chair, explained that the 25th District represents all of San Bernardino County, which includes 28 different posts. Therefore, the whole family gathers together every year for this event to play an instrumental role in raising money to help veterans and their communities. In previous years, they worked with and helped the Children’s Miracle Network and Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. “This year we wanted to bring it closer to home since we’re all from the Inland Empire and LLUMC is the trauma center for the Inland Empire,” co-chair and American Legion’s Auxiliary’s Hazel Diaz explained. “We wanted to do something that would bring the donations to our community close to home.” According to Hicks, this is their first year donating their proceeds from the Walk For Kids to the Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House. “First year of many,” Diaz added. Loma Linda Children’s Hospital extends to patients and families throughout all of Southern California and a lot of these families are veterans or current service members, said Hicks. Fuqua explained that after they discovered a large number of veterans and active service members that were family members of patients of LLCH, they wanted to do something to help. The families of these patients get to stay at the Ronald McDonald House for just $10 a day and after the expansion and upgrade, it’s only $12 a day. According to Mike Kovack, it's not considered a fee, it is more of a donation that they will accept from families. After the presentation of the checks, the American Legion family got an up-close and personal look at the construction site new and improved LLRMH, as Kovack led them through a detailed tour.