RiverCity Washers - Serving the Community

Being a contributing member to the community in which you live is the standard by which RiverCity Washers measures itself. We like to be involved and encourage others to get involved. We continually contribute our time and resources towards events for a charitable cause in hopes to make another’s life that much better!

Ronald Mcdonald House - Washers Tournament

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis held the First Annual Friends of Ronald Washers Tournament, presented by JCPenney, in Shaw Park to benefit families of seriously-ill children staying in St. Louis for medical treatment. Participants enjoyed the competitive sporting event paired with barbeque favorites, libations, and plenty of side games and raffles. The new washers event is a great way to get young people involved with the Ronald McDonald House through an enjoyable game anyone can play, said RMHC President Dan Harbaugh.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis is celebrating 29 years of supporting the Ronald McDonald Houses home-away-from-homeprogram that ensures children are able to access the highest quality health care, while family members are supported with living spaces near the treatment centers. Since 1981, over 27,000 families have been aided, with 51 percent from the St. Louis area. The Ronald McDonald House provides a home-away-from-home for families of seriously-ill children traveling to St. Louis for medical treatment. The facility has grown from an eight-bedroom facility in 1981, to now include two houses, eight extended-stay apartments, and three Ronald McDonald Family Rooms.

The Ronald McDonald House provides comfort, care, and lodging for up to 39 families every day of the year, and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms serve more than 4,000 families per year.

Washers 4 Wellness -- Washers Tournament

Washers for Wellness is a not-for-profit charity organization co-founded by Jen Etling and Tanner Hobin in order to raise money for Pulmonary Fibrosis research. On December 30, 2002 Hank Hopfinger entered St. Anthony’s Hospital (St. Louis, MO) following a Christmas Holiday season during which he struggled with breathing and a loss of energy. Doctors were mystified as Hank’s condition worsened, literally by the hour. Within days he was placed on life support, unconscious and given almost no chance to live.

The entire St. Louis Community rallied around Hank and his family with an amazing outpouring of prayer and support. Almost miraculously, Hank survived and was given another 4 years of life enjoying his passions – family, friends, church… and washers! Hank, husband to Mary Beth and father to John and Jennifer, Brian and Kate, and Michael, was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, an insidious disease that causes the body to reject the lungs. For more information about pulmonary fibrosis you may visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org.

To help raise funds to find a cure for this fatal disease, a charity washers tournament was held in July 2003 at Kirkwood Park, and appropriately named “Washers for Wellness”. Due to the tremendous success of the first event, we have founded the organization to repeat and exceed each year’s efforts and provide a day of laughter and fun for all! To date (1/07) Washers for Wellness has raised over $25,000 to help find a cure. Shortly after Hank’s 60th birthday, his suffering ended as he passed away after fighting multiple types of cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. His legacy will forever live on in the hearts of his family and friends and his life with be celebrated each year at the Washers for Wellness tournament.