Business & Tech

Ronald McDonald House Honors Southwest Airlines Donation

The company's monetary gift to help build the Creve Coeur facility was fourth-largest received.

Families may come by trains, planes or automobile to get medical care in St. Louis, and for those families staying at the Ronald McDonald House on the campus of St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur while their loved one is receiving medical care, people can hang out in an airline seat be nowhere near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

That's thanks in part to a donation of more than $200,000, made by Southwest Airlines, that helped fund construction of the 20 room house, which opened last fall, and includes a recreation room partially decked out with real airline seats, and part of a wing affixed to the wall by the airline's own mechanics.

"There was some opposition to that, actually. They weren’t sure if they thought it would be comfortable, be a good fit, would everybody like them,” Rick Huck, Southwest's St. Louis Provisioning Manager said. Now, he said, From what I understand the kids are just all over those chairs, they love it.”

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Ronald McDonald House Charities officials said donations like these have helped St. Louis' newest house surpass expectations. "We initially had only planned on opening 11 of the 20 rooms but because of these very generous gifts like Southwest's we were able to complete the entire house, and actually have filled it," said Amy Collard, Director of Development for Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis.

Funds for the Southwest Airlines donation came from a series of company-sponsored golf tournaments.

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