Chicago Red Stars soccer team members visit Oak Lawn Ronald McDonald House as part of season-long commmitment

Patients at Advocate Children’s Hospital and their families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Oak Lawn traded treatment time for fun time Thursday with players from the Chicago Red Stars, a professional women’s soccer club based in Bridgeview.

Players Rachel Hill, Sarah Griffith and Jill Aguilara treated the children to cookie baking, a pizza party and soccer drills, all to celebrate the Red Stars’ season long commitment to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.

Ruth Anne Renaud, vice president of marketing and communication for the Ronald McDonald House chapter, said they also received a $5,000 grant from the team, with Hill the lead champion in the effort.

“Today they have been baking cookies with our families and are hosting a pizza party for families who are here and alumni families,” Renaud said. “Then Rachel is leading some soccer drills. It’s been amazing.”

The Ronald McDonald’s House provides a home away from home for parents while their children receive treatment and hospitalization at various children’s hospitals. According to the charity, they house 172 families per night at their five area houses.

“It’s amazing, such an incredible organization,” Hill said. “The fact they can provide families a home away from home when they’re going through tough times is unreal, and I love how they place so much importance on the families.”

Sitting next to Hill at the pizza party was Natalie Jorgensen, 14, of Poplar Grove. She was a patient at Advocate Children’s Hospital when she was 9 due to surgeries from brain seizures. She said having the Ronald McDonald House was a great comfort for her and her parents.

“Just having a place to stay while I was doing my therapy to take a break, play some games, read a book, that meant a lot to us,” Jorgensen said.

Two other Red Star players helped lead soccer drills in a park field next to the house, kicking soccer balls at a giant inflatable target resembling a dart board.

“Anyway we can get in the community and give back,” said Sarah Griffith, a forward midfield. “These kids are so amazing with such good personalities, and just being able to hang out with them and play some fun dart soccer and eat pizza is amazing and something we want to do more of.”

Aguilara, a forward and wingback for the team, said it was nice to meet the children and their families and see what the Ronald McDonald House is doing.

“I think it’s so important, especially when they are going through a difficult time,” Aguilara said. “Whatever we can do to make their time here a little bit better and more memorable in a good way, that’s all that we can really do.”

Players from both the boys and girls soccer teams at Oak Lawn Community High School also volunteered.

Hannah Kohut is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.