Baudette, Minnesota - For the past two years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees at the Baudette, MN port of entry have been saving and collecting pop top tabs as part of the Ronald McDonald fund raising efforts. During this time, they have collected two water containers full of pop tabs. This collection will be turned over to the local Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Chapter for transportation to a local recycling center. The pop tabs will be weighed to determine their value (values can vary significantly) and the recycling center will then send the local RMHC Chapter a check for the total value.
Since 1987, the Northwest Chapter of the Ronald McDonald House Charities has raised more than $1,000,000 to help defer the cost of families' expenses staying there during a difficult time. The closest Ronald McDonald House is located in Minneapolis, MN at, 621 Oak Street SE. This house has helped more than four million families over the past thirty six years and has expanded its program to include a house inside the hospital located adjacent to the neonatal intensive care unit on the third floor of the Children's Hospital and clinics of Minnesota at the Minneapolis campus. In 2010, Ronald McDonald opened its 300th home in St. Louis, MO.
Baudette Port Director Shelly Kraft said "I would like to personally thank all who made contributions to the fund raising efforts for the Ronald McDonald House. The Baudette port of entry will continue to support all efforts made toward the Ronald McDonald House Charities."