Guest Blog

​The Ronald McDonald House of Danville provides a “home-away-from-home” for parents and families of children who are hospitalized or receiving outpatient care at local hospitals. The House is a place of comfort and stability offering families the opportunity to be together as a family unit during a time of great uncertainty. Since 1981 the Ronald McDonald House of Danville has served over 396,000 guests from 65 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania, 34 states and 27 other countries.  Approximately 2,780 families have stayed at the House from Centre County, making it the #2 county that we serve.  

​In 1982, the Ronald McDonald House of Danville established the first summer camp, otherwise known as Camp Dost, for children coping with cancer. Camp Dost is a magical place where children can recapture their childhood by enjoying activities that may have been denied them by their disease. Camp activities range from swimming and fishing to arts and crafts. Campers benefit from the shared camaraderie among each other and the volunteers and often make lasting friendships. 

​In 2017, the Ronald McDonald House of Danville opened the Ronald McDonald Family Room inside Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. The Family Room is a comforting haven for families of critically ill children.  Being just steps away, the Family Room offers a quiet space for families to rest and regroup while their child is being cared for just down the hall. Extending the support of the House into the hospital setting, the Family Room offers a kitchenette, living room area, quiet room, napping room, and two sleep rooms with a full bathroom.

For more information about the Ronald McDonald House of Danville, follow us on Facebook or visit us at https://rmhdanville.org/.
 
 Testimonials:

Edna Byler was a woman volunteering in her community in Akron, Pennsylvania. She traveled to Puerto Rico with her husband in 1946 and met women in La Plata Valley who were facing poverty and struggling to provide for their families. Instead of turning the other way, Byler was deeply impacted by this encounter and decided to do something about it. The women in La Plata Valley made unique textiles that Byler bought to bring back to sell in America. She began to sell fair trade items from the trunk of her Chevy II and sharing the stories of these artisans to provide each of them a brighter future.
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From selling fair trade items from a trunk of a Chevy II in the 1950s, to now having 70 stores across the United States, Ten Thousand Villages has expanded itself to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries. Our mission is to provide income to artisans by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term, fair trading relationships in hopes that one day all artisans will earn a fair wage and be treated with dignity and respect. Ten Thousand Villages promotes sustainability, safe working conditions, gender equality and more to bring justice to the lives of every individual facing poverty, climate change and economic crisis. 

​This past September, State College joined the Ten Thousand Villages community by opening a local store to further continue the organization’s mission and spread awareness. A group of motivated and passionate individuals who would eventually form the Board of Directors of the local non-profit started to raise resources and momentum through temporary sales at the local Mennonite church. With the support of the community, it was suggested to turn temporary sales events into a permanent Ten Thousand Villages store. Representatives of Ten Thousand Villages US were invited to Centre County to help bring this idea to life. By February 2017, the first board of directors, Joel Weidner, Jean Landis, and Kristine Charles began fundraising and building support to open a store.

With the efforts of the board members and overwhelming support from the community, $125,000 was raised, which exceeded the original goal of $100,000. The mission fully came to life on July 1, 2018 when the lease was signed for space in the Talbots Plaza at 1341 S. Atherton St. in State College. Ten Thousand Villages State College opened the doors of our Village in September to invite everyone to discover the world of fair trade items. The hard work and efforts were celebrated by a ribbon cutting ceremony provided by The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC).

​We have expanded our Village with Kieran T. Holland as our full-time manager and Jenn Miller as our part-time assistant manager, along with over 60 volunteers. We hope to continue to grow and spread awareness of the artisans and to provide opportunities and brighter futures through our local nonprofit. Without the overwhelming support of this community, Ten Thousand Villages State College wouldn’t be possible. It is because of you we are able to live out our mission that Edna Byler started back in 1946 and make an impact on the lives of artisans whose voices need to be heard. Truly, together we thrive.
 

​A Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County ribbon cutting event provided an opportunity for local dignitaries to learn more about the newly opened Nittany Valley Sports Centre – a locally owned and operated indoor sports facility offering recreational and competitive sports activities, including skills training, leagues, and speed and agility classes.
 
The guest list included CBICC and Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau board members, business leaders, elected officials, and CBICC Ambassadors, who toured the 68,500-square-foot facility, and heard from owner/developer Michael Lee about current and future plans for the complex, The Centre’s customer base and reach, and the complex’s potential impact on the local economy and tourism.
 
“As we think of the traveling teams that are going to come here; the visitors that will overnight here and spend, and enjoy our community in so many ways, this is going to be great,” CBICC President and CEO Vern Squier said. “The Nittany Valley Sports Centre is a tremendous asset that not only better serves the recreational needs of Centre County residents, but that has the potential to generate an influx of dollars from outside the county to the benefit of local businesses and the overall economy.”

​Lee told the group that he got the idea for The Centre, as it is known, in 2012 while traveling with his daughter to competitive gymnastics meets across the country. He recognized the need for and potential of such a facility in Centre County.
 
Lee said The Centre – complete with a 20,000-square-foot indoor Puregrass® turf field, a 10,000-square-foot hard court area; and a 16,000-square-foot competitive gymnastics area, among other amenities – had a wonderful opening in February, with “literally thousands of faces” walking through the doors over the past four weeks.
 
“We’ve had a great response from the community,” he said, stressing that the Nittany Valley Sports Centre is a place for people of all ages.
 
Future plans for The Centre include bringing athletic tournaments to Centre County.
 
Lee acknowledged a number of individual and organizations that helped to make his vision a realty, including his “primary mentor and investor,” Dan Hawbaker, president and CEO of Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., and Patton Township.
 
“Patton Township has been as good as a partner as you could imagine,” he said.
 
Delta Development was also recognized for its expertise and diligence in making the project a reality.

​In addition, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman was recognized for his role in securing a $1.5 million state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant in September 2018 for the construction of The Centre.
 
“As tournament play increases, the local economy will receive a boost from those traveling to participate in the activities offered here. At the same time, this is a place where our kids can stay active in league sports during the winter months without having to travel. It’s a win-win for our community,” Corman said. “Because of the year round training opportunities for kids and families, this investment of state funds in our community is having a significant positive impact on our local economy as the facility is ready to play host to a number of regional and national indoor tournaments.”
 
To learn more about The Nittany Valley Sports Centre, visit www.thecentrepa.com