By Tina Sharesky
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Students from Camden County College who are members of the college’s Human Services Club will be preparing a special dinner for the families staying in the Ronald McDonald House in Camden. The event will take place on the evening of April 28, 2012 and will be exclusively for the members of the Human Services Club.
The Ronald McDonald House of South Jersey has been providing assistance for families of children who are seriously ill or have suffered traumatic injuries and are being treated in area hospitals. The house, which is next to Cooper Hospital, has 20 spacious family suites, each with a unique theme, such as butterflies, a fire house, Sesame Street, Sponge Bob and NASCAR. The Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey serves approximately 800 families a years and has assisted more than 17,000 families since opening its doors in 1983.
The Human Services Club of Camden County College has been cooking meals such as this for several semesters to lend their support to families going through such a difficult time. Karen Marinoff, co-advisor, says of the event, “We have gone for the past several years and the students always feel like they are helping out and we all come together to work on this project.”
As of late March, the menu for the event had yet to be completed but what is known is students will be creating a full meal for 40 to 50 participating families and the club members who are contributing with their cooking skills. After the meal, students will be given a tour of the facility and the opportunity to meet and greet residents of the house while they or their family members are staying in the area for treatment at Cooper Hospital or a nearby Philadelphia hospital.
The mission of the Human Services Club is to promote interest and outreach in the field of human services, more specifically early childhood education, disabilities, addictions and social work. The club works to reach out to people in the community with various service projects. The club does fundraising to provide Human Services scholarships in the community as well as to support other community causes.
If you are interested in the Human Services Club or want to donate food for this event, please contact Marinoff at kgm27@comcast..net. If you would like to give a monetary donation or would like to volunteer your time at the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, please visit its website at http://www.ronaldhouse-snj.org/.