The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree
When people tell Presli Turner, “You’re just like your mom,” she takes it as a compliment. After all, her mother, Rebecca, serves on the Executive Committee of the Ronald McDonald House of Mobile’s Board of Directors and recently chaired the Little Black Dress Runway Show & Gala. She is a shining example of someone who is passionate about giving back and helping others.
Passing that passion on to Presli came naturally, as they both lead busy lives while making service to others a priority. For Rebecca, choosing Ronald McDonald House as the place to devote her time and resources was personal. Presli was born prematurely and spent the first weeks of her life in the NICU. Rebecca and her husband, Mark, spent every night in a hospital waiting room.
“I know how important a place to lay your head, or a hot meal can be to families when their child is in the hospital,” Rebecca said.
Early in her banking career, Rebecca volunteered at RMH of Mobile with her coworkers. They prepared meals, cleaned, and worked outside. Later, when Presli joined Girl Scouts and Rebecca became a troop leader, she had the girls make Christmas ornaments for the families and accompanied her to deliver them to the House.
Like mother, like daughter, Presli wanted to become more involved with Ronald McDonald House. She joined the Red Shoe Krewe, the RMH service organization for high school juniors and seniors. Between serving on the City of Mobile’s Youth Council, the Mobile County Public School System Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, and as an Azalea Trail Maid, Presli also chaired the RSK’s annual Bunny Hop fundraiser.
Once in college, Presli she told her mother, “I don’t want to stop volunteering at Ronald McDonald House.” As philanthropy chair for her Phi Mu chapter, she has recruited volunteers to support Ronald McDonald House of Mobile’s Rubber Ducky Regatta for the past two years and has organized fellow members to prepare meals for families staying at the House. “Seeing my mom’s involvement here makes me want to follow in her footsteps,” Presli said. “I love how much she cares about the House and the families it serves.”
When asked about her favorite part of volunteering, Rebecca didn’t hesitate. “Getting to know the families who stay here, watching their children recover, and seeing them finally go home; that’s the most rewarding part,” she said. “The other is serving alongside so many dedicated people on the Board and committees who care deeply about this mission. It reminds me every day how many good people there are.”
One moment, however, especially affirmed why both Rebecca and Presli continue to serve. While Presli and her Phi Mu sisters were preparing a meal at the House, a mother staying at the House while her child was in the hospital quietly shared her gratitude and their story.
“Thank you. You don’t know how grateful I am for y’all to be here cooking. It’s one less thing I have to worry about”
For both mother and daughter, there is no greater reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can bring comfort and hope to families when they need it most.▪︎
