Oie Osterkamp
Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House
www.RonaldHouseDurham.org | 919-236-9305
I am a native North Carolinian, born in Rocky Mount. I moved to the Triangle in 1989 for an HR opportunity. My advice for newcomers is to know that everybody wants to feel significant! Get involved with a non-profit that resonates with your heart and pick one that your family can get involved with as well.
The Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in February 1980. It was the first House in North Carolina, the thirteenth in the nation, and the first to open without the support of a professional football team. At the time, it was the only House of its kind to be developed and supported entirely by the surrounding community. The Ronald McDonald House offers a comforting home away from home and a community of support for seriously ill children and their families.
Our programs provide families with the comforts of home – 55 private bedrooms, inviting community spaces, home-cooked meals and stocked kitchen, a playroom, computer room, and laundry facilities – as well as a network of support through interactions with other guest families, staff, and volunteers. We also offer a Family Room at both Duke and WakeMed Children’s Hospitals. Families with a sick child face immense emotional, physical, and financial challenges. Knowing that the Ronald McDonald House will be there to support them helps to alleviate some of those stresses.
My favorite thing to do in the Triangle is spending time with my awesome wife and son. I also love working with another passion of mine, a non-profit called Sharefish that is breaking the cycle of poverty in remote villages in Honduras. Check us out at www.sharefish.org. On date nights, my wife and I enjoy quiet conversation and excellent food at Firebirds restaurant.
