Delaware’s Ronald McDonald House lights the night [video]

The Ronald McDonald House of Delaware is all a glow this holiday season.

Last week, the community, staff and residents of RMHDE gathered for the kick-off of the Share A Night Lighting Ceremony. The event allows families, who are away from their homes as their children receive medical treatment, to enjoy the spirit of the holidays.

“The outside of the house gets a beautiful outside décor by many different volunteers,” said RMHDE President and CEO Pam Cornforth.

It’s not just the outside that is decked out. Volunteers are also responsible for the decorations inside the house. “One of our biggest goals for the month of December is to get the house all ready for the holidays. We couldn’t do it with our small staff. I only have 13 people on our staff, so we really rely on volunteers and the different volunteer groups to come out to decorate the house to the nines.”

The community is invited to come out and view the outdoor display and make a $15 donation to the operating budget at the RMHDE. “We raise about $100,000 during this campaign in the month of December, Cornforth said. Every light that’s hung outside of the house represents a $15 donation.” Families that are housed at RMHDE are asked to pay $15 a night or whatever they can pay. No family is turned away, Cornforth added.

The RMHDE primarily supports the Alfred I. duPont Hospital and Christiana Care and houses 50 families. The lights of Share A Night stay on until the New Year.