Interview with Mrs. Zikorus

                                                             By The Hampton Herald Staff

Mrs. Emily Zikorus, the Director of Development for The Ronald McDonald House Charities Maryland (RMHC), met with our staff to talk about her job at RMHC and the annual 5k The Red Shoe Shuffle. 

Read the interview below.
Who started the Ronald McDonald house?
The Ronald McDonald house was started by Dr. Audrey Evans.
 
What is your least favorite part of your job?
My least favorite part of my job is when a family has sad news.
 
What is the Red Shoe Shuffle?
The red shoe shuffle is a 5k that raises money for the Ronald McDonald house.
 
How much money did you raise last year?
450,000 dollars
 
How do you become a part of the Red Shoe Crew?
Every June we have an application process, and you can nominate yourself or someone else can and if you get picked then you can choose if you want to be on the Red Shoe Crew.
 
Why did you become part of the Ronald McDonald house? 
The first job I had I just didn’t feel fulfilled, so I joined.
 
Do you participate in the Red Shoe Shuffle?
I personally don’t because I have to work.
 
Are there any other ones besides the one in Baltimore?  Do they all look the same?
Across this country there is one. There is more in other places.  No, they all look different. Ours has 65 rooms and the one in Cincinnati has 188 rooms.
           
Do you like the kids there?
Yes, I do. They are all good. I love them all. I help with kids that are first born to kids that are 21 years old. But I love them all.
 
Why is it called the Ronald McDonald House?
Because when the first house was started, we worked closely with a McDonalds and then we decided to call it the Ronald McDonald House.
 
How long does it take to plan?
All year. The shuffle is on Sunday and when it is done, we start planning for next year.
 
How did the Red Shoe Shuffle get its name?
I think it was just a creative name that we created. It started in Baltimore, but there are more Ronald McDonald Houses that do it now.
 
Does it cost money to stay there?
It does not cost any money to stay there.
 
Who is the patient who traveled the farthest?
We have people come from all over the world, but I guess it would be Australia.
 
How do you choose who gets to stay there?
We work with the hospital social workers.  They recommend people who need to stay there. We also have a tier system based on diagnosis.
 
What do you do for the House?
I am the Director of Development, so I raise money for the house.
 
Do you ever travel for work?
Not usually, but sometimes.  When we built our new house I traveled a lot to visit other Ronald McDonald Houses.
 
Is it stressful?
Sometimes, because it was small and we could not serve everyone, so we had to make it bigger.
 
What is your favorite part of your job?
I really like that every day, when I get home, I feel like I did good.
 
How many families are currently staying there?
Fifty-five families are currently staying with us.
 
Who runs the House in Maryland?
Our president is Sandy Pagnotti.
 
Who else works at the Ronald McDonald House?
Well, Ms. Patek’s mom, as well as 30 other people.  We have 16 part time employees and 14 full-time employees.
 
What hospitals do the families go to?
We service all the Baltimore-area hospitals.  The two biggest ones are Johns Hopkins and Kennedy Krieger.
 
What do volunteers do there?
All different things.  Individuals can come and help at the front desk or help in the kitchen.  You can also help clean or make things for the cubbies.
 
Last year, how much money did the Red Shoe Shuffle raise?
Last year, it raised about $400,000.

How much money are you hoping to raise this year?
This year our goal is $450,000.
 
How many people participate in the Red Show Shuffle?
Our goal is 3,000.  Right now, we have 2,734 registered participants.
 
What else happens at the race?
The president gives a speech, the sponsors have tables, we have food, and there are activities for kids to do.
 
Does Ronald McDonald come to the race?
Yes, Ronald McDonald does come to the shuffle.

What is the Red Shoe Crew?
The red shoe crew is a group for young workers starting their careers.

What kinds of things does the Ronald McDonald House do besides provide a place for families to stay?
We provide 3 meals a day, transportation to get to the Ronald McDonald house, and we also provide a place of comfort for families.
 
 *Update*
Ms. Patek, the Hampton Herald moderator and member of The Red Shoe Crew is ecstatic to announce that this year the Red Shoe Shuffle sold out with 3,000 participants and raised $500,000!