The Chattanooga chapter of the American Inns of Court raised $23,850 in December through a charity auction that benefited the local Ronald McDonald House.
The fundraising effort includes amounts raised through auction items purchased at the Dec. 9 event as well as individual donations made by Inn members.
“Donations to our organization help us carry out our mission of serving children and families during some of the most difficult times of their lives,” says Jane Kaylor, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. “The pandemic continues to challenge our traditional fundraising efforts, so we appreciate this year’s contribution from the American Inns of Court.”
Chattanooga’s Ronald McDonald House opened in 1990. The organization provides housing and meals for more than 500 families annually who have critically ill or injured children undergoing inpatient and outpatient treatment at nearby Chattanooga hospitals, including childhood cancer patients treated in the hematology and oncology clinic at Children’s Hospital.
The local Ronald McDonald House serves families from 21 surrounding counties in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina, with families staying at the RMHC an average of 15 nights. It generally costs about $75 per night to house a single family in the facility.
The organization also staffs and supplies the Ronald McDonald Family Room located on the third floor of Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. The room offers families a place to rest, eat, wash clothes, take a shower and relax while being just steps away from their child’s bedside.
The auction items at the Inns of Court event were donated by local judges and attorneys, as well as area shops, restaurants and artists.
“We’re fortunate and proud to be part of a community that prioritizes giving back,” says Inns of Court President Katherine Lentz, a Chattanooga native and practicing attorney at Grant Konvalinka & Harrison.
More than 150 lawyers and judges belong to the Chattanooga chapter of the Inns of Court. The organization aims to improve the skills, professionalism, ethics and civility of the bench and bar.
To learn more about the local Inn and its programs, contact Lentz at 423 756-8400.
Source: American Inns of Court