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PrintCOLUMBIA — The Ronald McDonald House of Mid-Missouri opened late last week after being closed for more than a month because of flooding caused by heavy rains in July.
A broken sump pump caused water to collect in the basement. During the basement repairs, workers discovered the central air unit on the third floor of the house was damaged beyond repair, according to a news release from the house.
The repairs needed to get the house back in operation cost around $20,000, board president Mike Morgan said in the release. Many businesses and individuals contributed to the operation by donating services and time, Morgan said in the release.
The house is a home away from home for families of sick children.
It reopened last week with only 10 of the 14 bedrooms habitable, according to the release. The laundry facility, the entire third floor and the large multipurpose family room are still not functional.
“This will greatly lessen our capacity to host all the families in need," xecutive director Melody Bezenek said in the release.
The flooding is just one of the ongoing maintenance issues the house has battled. During the past year a campaign was launched to secure donors to relocate the house. The estimated cost for the new building is $2.6 million, according to the release. If funding for a new house is not raised, there is a possibility thehouse will not be able to continue housing families in the current home, according to the release.
Businesses and individuals interested in making a donation, or volunteering to assist with clean up, should call Tammy Laughlin at 443-7666.
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Comments
Didn't the Ronald McDonald house recently move from the intersection of Monk (I think?) and Stadium, due to construction of the new hospital parking garage? Is this just a temporary location until they find the money to build a new house? I assumed the building being constructed in the old location was going to be the new house, but haven't been by there lately.