Kent Elastomer Products’ Employees Donate to Fund Three Rooms at the Ronald McDonald House of Akron

Each year Kent Elastomer Products chooses a charity for our employees and our company to donate to as a way to give back to the community. For 2018, our employees chose the Ronald McDonald House of Akron (RMHA).

Ronald McDonald House of Akron was chosen for two reasons. The first and main reason is the wonderful service that they provide families. The second reason is RMHA provides services to the counties that our facilities are located in, which are Holmes, Portage and Summit Counties.

We had our highest participation rate in KEP history this year. The amount donated and matched by Kent Elastomer Products totaled $17,472. On Friday, February 16, 2018 employees representing each of our three facilities along with members of our leadership team presented this donation to RMHA. Special thanks to RMHA for all the work they do to provide a place to stay and meals for families with children being treated at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Following the check presentation, RMHA staff, Anne Collins, Meri Skiera, and Aristea Tzouloufis gave the group a tour of the new wing which will be opening soon, expanding RMHA from 20 rooms to 42 rooms and allowing them to provide services for 22 additional families. Kent Employees earmarked the donation to fund three new rooms in RMHA – one representing our Kent, Mogadore and Winesburg facilities.

Aristea Tzouloufis, Director of Development for RMHA, commented on the support given by KEP. “Partners like Kent Elastomer Products make everything we do possible,” she stated. “Our mission is to keep families close. Bob Oborn and his team are a huge part of making this a reality.”

We are so proud of our employees for recognizing the need and giving back to their community. Our culture at KEP emphasizes safety, employee involvement, and community. This is an excellent example of the last two.

Meri Skiera, Director of Programs and Services for RMHA, visited each shift at all three of our Kent, Mogadore and Winesburg facilities to tell the story of RMHA and the service they provide. Families with children being treated at Akron Children’s Hospital can stay at RMHA for as long as they need. Meals are provided for free. Their main mission is to help take some of the burden off the family so they can concentrate on their child. Our team members were greatly moved by Meri’s visit.

The Ronald McDonald House holds a special place in our hearts at KEP. Most of us are parents and understand how devastating it is when something happens to your child. Also, most of us have either used the Ronald McDonald House or know someone who has. This is our way of supporting our community and giving back to others. We are proud of what RMHA does, and wanted in some way to support that effort.

From our Kent, Mogadore and Winesburg employees, there will also be a room with a Don Drumm plaque in RMHA that states, “donated by the employees of Kent Elastomer,” followed by our location. KEP team members volunteer in the kitchen at RMHA every quarter to make dinner for the residents and are eager to expand their cooking from serving families in 20 rooms, to serving families in 42 rooms once the new facility is fully open.

Privately funded and supported by a generous community, Ronald McDonald House Akron allows families to spend more time with their children being treated next door at Akron Children’s Hospital, allowing them to better interact with their doctors and to make important decisions about their children’s care. Ronald McDonald House Akron services, including private rooms and meals for families, are provided with the minimal request of a $10 per night donation however, no one is turned away due to the inability to pay. For more information on the Ronald McDonald House of Akron, please visit www.rmhakron.org.