Two local businesses have teamed up to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Roanoke through a limited-edition T-shirt fundraiser.
Tony Davis of Luna Moth and Michelle Draper of Brand Builder came up with the project after Davis and his wife, Amanda, stayed at the Ronald McDonald House when their daughter, Ruby, was born several weeks early and spent 16 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Davis said he was unfamiliar with the Ronald McDonald House before his family needed its services.
“I was unaware as to what the Ronald McDonald House was, did, or anything like that. But essentially, because our kid was at the NICU for 16 days and was from out of town,” he said.
Without the Ronald McDonald House. Davis said he and his wife would have had to pay for a hotel while their daughter received care.
“We were able to stay there completely free of charge. Really, really amazing, amazing, nice people,” Davis said.
The experience also made Davis more aware of the challenges families in rural areas face when seeking specialized medical care.
“I hate it. Absolutely hate it. Because, like, it’s an unfortunate thing that a lot of rural areas are having hospitals completely closed down, let alone the maternity. My wife was in the situation where it wasn’t necessarily an emergency C-section, but, you know, we didn’t expect our child to be here a month early. Having the resources here, especially around town, while we were there, we met people from Martinsville, you know, and it’s sad, the fact that, like, we don’t have anything here to help our community.”
Davis said the Ronald McDonald House helps families who need a place to stay for a variety of medical reasons.
“Even if you like you just have someone there that needs, you know, some type of procedure done, they provide that as well.”
Davis and Draper had wanted to collaborate on a project before connecting over the fundraiser.
“I’ve helped out in the past with mental health stuff. It becomes a need that you don’t necessarily realize that is needed until it’s in your face,” Davis said.
Davis credited Draper with developing the fundraiser’s website and helping organize the project.
“Michelle was the one who came up with the website, came up with the idea of like, hey, we can do it like this. This is how much it’ll be. And then I think they charge like $100 or something like that for the website. They’re doing it completely free of charge. Um, they are providing all the shirts and stuff. Like they’re, they’re amazing.”
The shirts are available through Luna Moth’s online store. The fundraiser runs for 16 days, matching the number of days Ruby spent in the NICU.
Adult shirts start at $15. All profits support the Ronald McDonald House. Shirts can be picked up in person. Order at omglunamothtattoo.itemorder.com/shop/home/.
“I just want to try and provide a lot of money to go towards the Ronald McDonald House because hopefully people here won’t have to use it, but if they do, then, you know, we’ll have the means to do so,” Davis said.
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Tony Davis and Michelle Draper created an exclusive shirt to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House,
