Avera McKennan is New Home to Eight-Bed Ronald McDonald House

SIOUX FALLS (Dec. 19, 2007) - In less than a year, the campus of Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center will be home to an eight-bed Ronald McDonald® House. In the spirit of the season, Avera McKennan today announced a gift to the community, to children and their families and to Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota.

Starting in late summer, Ronald McDonald House Charities will have a new building within the Walsh Family Village. RMHC and Avera McKennan announced the partnership at a press conference this morning.

Avera McKennan is donating the use of one of three 9,000-square-foot buildings being constructed on the south end of the Avera McKennan campus. The other two buildings under construction in the Walsh Family Village, the Nano Nagle Inn and Casa de Carlitos, will be home to patients at Avera McKennan who are not able to afford traditional housing options.

Learn more about the Walsh Family Village on our Foundation web site »

The RMHC home will be a place of refuge for patients of the Avera Children's Hospital and their families. Avera has a total of 110 pediatric beds, including the pediatrics unit, PICU and neonatal intensive care unit at Avera Children's Hospital; and the children's and adolescent unit at the Avera Behavioral Health Center.

"More than a place to stay for families of seriously ill children, the Ronald McDonald House is a place of emotional support for moms, dads, brothers and sisters when they need it most," said Fred Slunecka, regional president at Avera McKennan.

Before the building is completely finished, it will be turned over to RMHC to complete the interior finishing, with opportunity for local businesses and contractors to donate labor and materials toward the project. When complete, the house will be operated under the policies of the Ronald McDonald House. In November, RMHC of South Dakota received approval for this and another similar project in Sioux Falls. Once both projects are finished, RMHC will have a total of 26 beds in the community to assist ill children and their families.

"We are so pleased that after many years of careful consideration and planning that Ronald McDonald House Charities of SD will soon be serving families on the Avera Campus," said Marsha Frericks, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota, Inc. "With this donation RMHC will be able to serve all families who have children needing medical care."

Today also brings about a new and unique partnership between traditionally competitive fast food venues. The Walsh Family Village was named in honor of an initial gift of $1.5 million by Tom and Kathy Walsh and the Los Cabos Children's Foundation. Walsh is the local franchise owner of Burger King restaurants. Rick Lessnau, owner of local McDonald's restaurants, was also at today's announcement.

About Avera McKennan

Our ministry, our people and our superior value distinguish Avera. We carry on the health care legacy of the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters, delivering care in an environment guided by our values of compassion, hospitality and stewardship. Avera McKennan colleagues work for the largest health system in the region. The Avera network has some 12,000 employees and physicians, serving 231 locations and 81 communities in a five-state region. Inpatient and clinic visits totaled 1.8 million in the last fiscal year, a number equal to nearly twice the population of the Avera service area.