Tate and Kristin Ogburn understand the importance of a Ronald McDonald House to parents with children undergoing medical care out of town. For the past three years, Tate, a litigation attorney with Poyner Spruill LLP, and Kristin, a bankruptcy attorney with Horack Talley Pharr & Lowndes, P.A., have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland, Ohio, during many trips to Cleveland to see a specialist who is building their four year old daughter, Virginia, a left hand.

“The Ronald McDonald House is our home when we are in Cleveland,” said Kristin. “We are given a private room, hot meals, laundry facilities, a computer lab and many play areas that Virginia loves. More importantly, we get to interact with staff and other families, who understand the pressures of out-of-state medical care.”

The Ogburns were excited to learn that a group is building a Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte and want to help in efforts to raise money for the house. They encouraged both of their firms to participate in the Ronald McDonald House’s “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” day on April 24, 2009. “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” is a state-wide event in which all of the Ronald McDonald Houses in North Carolina sell $10.00 t-shirts that are to be worn on April 24th in support of the state’s Ronald McDonald houses. Proceeds from the sale of the shirts in Charlotte will benefit the new Ronald McDonald House, which is scheduled to open in 2010. Charlotte’s Ronald McDonald House ask families for a $10.00 donation for a night’s stay, so each shirt sold represents the cost for one night’s stay at the house.

Poyner Spruill’s Charlotte office challenged Horack Talley to a competition as to which firm can sell more t-shirts. Both firms generously agreed to pay $5.00 towards the cost of each shirt purchased by attorneys and staff and to allow the attorneys and staff to wear the shirts on April 24.

When the final results were tallied, Horack Talley sold 313 shirts, and all three offices of Poyner Spruill sold 253. The real winner was the Ronald McDonald House. Between the two firms, over $5,600 was raised towards the construction of the new house in Charlotte.

Anyone interested in the Charlotte Ronald McDonald House’s “Sport a Shirt, Share a Night” program, can call 704-335-1191 or e-mail charlottesportashirt@gmail.com. Information about the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte can be found at www.rmhofcharlotte.org.