The DiMichele family was presented with the 2020 Sam Perroni Volunteer Award at Ronald McDonald House Charities on Dec. 14.
The DiMicheles, local McDonald's restaurant owner-operators, have a long history of service with the Ronald McDonald House. Dean DiMichele has served on the nonprofit organization's board of directors for more than 14 years. His children Nicole and Chad also have had active roles in working with the house.
The award was established in 2016 in honor of Perroni who helped spearhead the efforts to establish Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas in Little Rock in 1981.
The Ronald McDonald House is a 32-bedroom "home-away-from-home" that provides a private room with meals and other assistance to more than 1,400 families each year who have a child receiving life-saving medical care at area hospitals.
-- Special to the Democrat-Gazette