Officials break ground on new Ronald McDonald home in Columbia

A pair of Ronald McDonald’s signature, bright red clown shoes stood front and center at a ceremony Monday, a hint of plans for the home bearing his name.

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Columbia broke ground on its new house on Colonial Drive, marking the start of construction of a facility double the size of its current building. The home provides accommodations for families of critically ill and injured children who are at Palmetto Health Richland.

The current house, open since 1983 at 2955 Colonial Drive, has eight bedrooms and four bathrooms. The new 15,500-square-foot facility will include 16 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms and more creature comforts and necessities, such as two living rooms and an elevator. Construction will take about a year, officials say.

Jim Best, RMHC of Columbia board of directors president, said the current house served 225 families last year but turned down 167 other families. There are 13 families on the organization’s wait list.

“I can’t imagine having a sick child and going and getting turned down, and we turned down 167,” he said.

Best said in 2000, he stayed in a Ronald McDonald House in Houston, Texas, while his 1-year-old daughter spent 10-12 weeks in a hospital there.

“We certainly would have not gotten through what we had to get through if it was not for the Ronald McDonald House,” he said. “Thankfully, now we have a 15-year-old teenage daughter who is healthy.”

The new house will cost about $5.6 million, and Best said the charity has raised about 80 percent so far. He said the land for the new house, which is adjacent to the current house, was donated by Palmetto Health.

Palmetto Health CEO Charles Beaman Jr. said RMHC gives an opportunity for people to express love and concern.

“This is a big undertaking, but I’m confident that not only will the financial goal be met but in all likelihood be exceeded.”

USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner, who is an honorary capital campaign chair with his wife Karen, said the Ronald McDonald House has a long history of caring for families.

“We’re excited about ... a place where truly we give back, and that’s what we all stand for in this community, in our city,” Tanner said. “It is so special to be involved in this.”

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Officials break ground on new Ronald McDonald home in Columbia."