Children First

"Consider the children first in all that you do."  Those were the words that the people who knew Mrs. Mary Ranken Jordan heard regularly.  Countless people she didn't know heard them often and thousands today still hear them, 51 years after her passing.  She didn't just say those words, she lived them.  Nine words were the driving force behind her motivation to establish the Ranken Jordan Home for Convalescent Crippled Children in 1941.  Seventy-two years later her vision and passion has led to the current location of Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital in Maryland Heights, MO.

Mrs. Jordan's quote is brought to life every day at Ranken Jordan.  It is an incredible facility staffed by some very special people.  These people embody the words that Mrs. Jordan believed so strongly in.  Through their compassion and strength, thousands upon thousands of children have gone on to live better, more productive lives than many outside this hospital would have ever thought possible.  These people are at Ranken Jordan because they are good at what they do, love what they do, and most importantly, consider the children first in all they do.

These same traits are evident in a wide spectrum of people involved with Ranken Jordan.  The Board of Directors, led by Steve Cortopassi, have as much passion for the facility and the kids as anybody.  Last summer I made a presentation about the golf program to the Board and it was obvious they were as excited about the kids playing golf as anybody!  What was supposed to be a 10-12 minute presentation turned into double that because of the questions and discussion following my initial statements.  A facility like this would not be anywhere near as successful if they did not have people like this from the top to bottom of the organization.

Another very important group of people associated with Ranken Jordan are those who contribute financially.  Without them the hospital would not be able to do all of the amazing things that are done on a daily basis.  There are a variety of ways to contribute and a number of ways those who give are recognized.  One of those levels is the Mary Ranken Jordan Society which includes anyone who contributes $1,000 or more in a calendar year.  Each year this group presents their Service to Children Award which recognizes individuals in the St. Louis region who demonstrate their commitment to the ideals established by Mrs. Jordan, to serve and help children, and, by example, encourage others to do the same.  This year I had the incredibly humbling honor of receiving the Service to Children Award.  When Lauri Tanner, President & CEO of Ranken Jordan, called to inform me of the honor, I was totally speechless (those of you who know me best know how hard to believe that is!).  The link below is for the video shown the night of the dinner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4VrnFAiQeg

In the criteria for those who receive the award it is specified that the person will, by example, encourage others to serve and help children.  As I have repeatedly mentioned in earlier posts, that is one of the major factors behind writing this blog.  I want to see these types of programs all over the country and around the world.  Giving so little of your time and energy can have such a tremendous impact on the lives of those children you are helping.  Some will continue to play golf when they leave the hospital and some will never again pick up a club.  But all of them will have enjoyed it and grown from the experience.  Through my posts I hope that I have conveyed the significance programs like this can have in the lives of the kids.  I also hope others across the United States and around the world will understand this and establish programs of their own.  And somewhere I hope an angel is smiling down at her boy with great pride in what he has done.