I took the tram to go to the Ronald McDonald House. I was happy to find that the end of the line for the tram was only a block away from one of the houses! Excellent!! I got there early, so I took a walk and found a park.
The park was green, with lots of water and walking trails. I thought how nice for families staying at the House to have such a lovely park right down the street.
Rowing was happening.
The House has a happy, cheerful exterior. When I rang the bell one of the volunteers answered and she was nothing but nice to me! She wasn't sure what was going on, but she made sure I was welcome and went to find Riekie.
Riekie introduced me to the House manager (and I do not remember her name: I will post that once I hear from Riekie...I'm so bad at names...sigh...) and she took us on a tour. Look at the kitchen! It's wonderful!!
Sunny and bright. I would SO love to bake cookies here.
This is one of the living rooms. Loved the colors, and it was so bright and cheery and comfortable.
The picture showing in the room is an autograph from Michael Jackson. He was on tour in Amsterdam, and made a sizeable donation for the building of this House. The manager told us that they've even had fans show up asking to see the autograph!
The dining area in the living room. I loved the art: children should decorate everything I think.
This is a great idea. In the hallway they post a picture of every volunteer, and their badge is located on their picture. She said this was a good way to show families how many people help run the House, and a good way to show how many people care about them and want to ensure they are cared for.
This is Riekie on the left, and the House Manager on the right. They are so proud of the House and I don't blame them. It is a beautiful, cheerful, loving 'home away from home' for families.
Riekie and I hopped in the RMH car and drove to the second House.
Really, this was the first RMH in Amsterdam. It is very large, airy and very bright. They added to the House at one time, and they enlarged many of the rooms. This room is a great example. My pictures don't do it justice, but this is one side of the room. There's quite a bit of room in front of the beds as well, with large windows to bring in light and lovely sunshine.
This is the other side of the room. I like the way there is privacy for family members, but also the room is very adaptable to rearranging to accomadate a larger family.
The kitchen at this House was HUGE! As I remember there are around 5 bays for families to cook at. Loving that!
Dining area was open and bright.
The back yard was one of the nicest areas I think I've ever seen. Lots of patio for the families to sit and have coffee, or a bar-b-que, and a large play area for the kids.
Beautiful, peaceful surroundings for families to relax in.
Oh, and this? It irons the sheets! How cool is that?
Here is Riekie with the House Manager of this House. Everyone I met was warm and friendly and caring. I was so proud to be a part of the RMH family. I appreciate all the time and effort Riekie put into my tour, and I hope I can do the same for someone else.
The RMH is a wonderful place for families to find loving support at a time of need. Families in Amsterdam are in wonderful hands.
