Have you ever dropped your change into one of the coin collection boxes at McDonald’s? Ever wonder where that money goes, and for what purpose it is used? This week, your coins came home to Ashe County to support a local program for children and their families – the Ashe County Pool, located at Ashe County Middle School.

The collected coins, along with additional contributions by local McDonald’s owners Don and MaryAnne Moore, are sent in to support the programs of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). “The RMHC is a non-profit organization that not only funds the Ronald McDonald Houses at local hospitals, but also funds grants to local communities, for projects that directly improve the health and well-being of children,” explained Don and MaryAnne.

This week, McDonald’s of West Jefferson presented a check for $40,000 to the Ashe County Swimming Pool Committee. The Pool Committee is the citizen group that committed to fund 1/3 of the cost of the pool’s re-opening. Two other entities, the Ashe County Commissioners and the Ashe County Board of Education, partnered with the citizen group to equally share in the project’s cost, costing approximately $ 102,400.00 for each group. The $40,000 donation from McDonald’s completes the amount the Pool Committee needed to raise for their share.

Pool Committee Chairperson Rachel Shepherd commented, “We are so excited about this donation! It completes our fund-raising efforts to get the pool re-opened. McDonald’s has always been so supportive of community projects here in Ashe County. They went to bat for us to get those coins returned to Ashe County for this much-needed project. Now we can move on to developing support for the next phase of the pool’s programs.”

“Those coins everyone has dropped in the collection boxes over the years have now come home, “explained the Moores. “The Pool Committee has done an incredible job to raise their share of the funds needed to re-open the pool. When we heard they still needed some additional money to complete their share, we knew immediately how we could help.”

“The RMHC Grant Committee reported to us that The Ashe County Pool project was the most compelling grant applications they have ever received. RMHC realized the importance of getting our pool re-opened, in order to get our community swim-safe again. They were impressed that every middle school student in the entire county is learning to swim and to prevent drownings. RMHC realized how important a resource it is in our community. McDonald’s of West Jefferson is so proud to help make this happen for our community.”