August 19, 2005
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Providing Back-to-School Health Care Services
Spokane, Wash.: The Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile, operated by the Washington State University
Intercollegiate College of Nursing, is busy helping
families meet back-to-school health care needs by
participating in several community outreach events this
month. As the summer begins to wind down, parents and
children begin to think about all the things that need to
be done before school starts. In addition to school
supplies, the list likely includes sports physicals,
immunizations and how to keep kids active and healthy
during the remaining summer days and after school
starts.
School Sports Physicals, Health Assessments and Basic
Health Care
The Care Mobile will be providing basic health care assessments and sports physicals to students throughout Spokane County Aug. 22 through Sept. 9. The Care Mobile will be at Sacajawea Middle School, Aug. 22; East Valley High School, Aug. 23; Perry Street, Aug. 26; East Central Community Center, Aug. 30, East Valley Middle School, Aug. 31; Rogers High School, Sept. 7; and Deer Park, Sept. 9. Some parental or guardian paperwork is required for children under 18. Check the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Web site at www.spokanecaremobile.org or call (509) 324-7291 for details, required paperwork, a complete calendar of events or to make an appointment (appointments are recommended).
Yoke’s Fresh Market Kids Club Carnival,
Thursday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
In conjunction with their summer Kids Club events, the
Yoke’s Fresh Market located at E. 210 North
Foothills Drive, is sponsoring a Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile Day and Penny Carnival Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. - 4
p.m.
The Care Mobile will be on site providing medical services such as treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, check-ups, and vision and hearing screening to children from birth to age 21. Ronald McDonald will pass out goodies and visit with families from 2-4 p.m. and will perform a free magic show at 3 p.m.
The Penny Carnival will run from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and will include games, balloons, and cool treats. Kids can purchase five game tokens for one dollar, with all the proceeds going to support the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.
In addition to the carnival, the North Foothills store
has been raising funds and awareness for the Care Mobile
services. “We’ve been inserting Care Mobile
event fliers into the bags, collecting cash donations in
check stand canisters and from tips left at the in-store
espresso stand for a few months now,” said Julie
Ramsey, event coordinator at the Foothills Yoke’s
Fresh Market.
“The Care Mobile services and Ronald McDonald fit
perfectly into our Kids Club events and we know that many
of the families that shop at our store location will
appreciate the no-cost services the Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile can offer year around and especially as the kids
prepare to head back to school this fall,” said
Ramsey.
About the Ronald McDonald Care
Mobile
The $300,000 state-of-the-art 40-foot mobile pediatric
unit is managed and operated by nurse practitioners from
the Washington State University Intercollegiate College
of Nursing. It is equipped with two exam rooms and
delivers medical and dental care directly to underserved
children in their own neighborhoods such as schools, high
traffic business and not-for-profit locations, community
centers and select local McDonald’s Restaurants in
connection with special events. Services are provided at
no charge. The Care Mobile also welcomes walk-ins,
although they cannot guarantee an immediate opening.
The Care Mobile operates year around including several
upcoming events and locations during the next several
weeks leading up to the start of the school year. A
complete listing of service location days and times are
posted on the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Web site at
www.spokanecaremobile.org. Appointments should be
scheduled by phone by calling
(509) 324-7291.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a community health care outreach service of the Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing and Inland Northwest Health Services and receives support from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane, Spokane McDonald’s Restaurants and several local funding partners. The Care Mobile staff is funded, in part, through a 2002 Health Resources and Services Administration grant for the Basic Nurse Education and Practice Program (#1 D11 HP 00457).
Established in 1968, the WSU Intercollegiate College of
Nursing is fully-accredited by the Commission on
Collegiate Nursing Education. The college is the
nation’s oldest and most comprehensive nursing
education consortium and is the largest college of
nursing on the Northwest. Celebrating 37 years of world
class nursing education, the college offers
baccalaureate, graduate and professional development
course work to nursing students enrolled through its four
consortium partners: Eastern Washington University,
Gonzaga University, WSU and Whitworth College. Each year
the college educates nearly 800 graduate and
upper-division undergraduate students and prepares more
entry-level nurses than any other Washington state
educational institution. For more information about the
College of Nursing visit the Web site at nursing.wsu.edu