For one Minneapolis-based woman, a canceled wedding did not end in heartbreak.
Jenna Yorkovich had booked her wedding venue 16 months in advance. When her wedding was called off only weeks before the wedding, Yorkovich realized that the fees her family had paid for the venue were non-refundable.
Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Yorkovich decided to use the venue, food, and entertainment she originally booked for her wedding to host a charitable event with the Ronald McDonald House. The event was a thank you to all of the volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis.
Yorkovich, an aspiring pediatric nurse, has seen first hand what the Ronald McDonald House does for patients and their families. It was a natural choice for her to donate her wedding to benefit the volunteers.
“Seeing how Ronald McDonald influences people’s lives, I thought it would be a great phone call to make and a great phone call turned into a great event so that helps…It took a lot of courage to do it and I’m doing everything possible to make the best of the situation,” said Yorkovich to Minneapolis’ local NBC News Team.
She chose Ronald McDonald House because of her goal to become a pediatric nurse. Her current work at the Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis led her to meet many people whom the organization had helped. Over 150 volunteers attended the event, and they were all very thankful for Yorkovich’s generosity.
“You know they call Ronald McDonald House the house that love built and I’m so grateful for the family’s graciousness and their blessings today,” said Jill Evenocheck, Ronald McDonald House President & CEO.
“The volunteers turn Ronald McDonald House into a home. It’s filled with a lot of love, because that is what a lot of the volunteers are able to give the families in need of it, in a very big way, so this is a little bit of our love to them,” said John Yorkovich, Jenna’s father. “She is the one that pursued it, so I’m very proud of her for doing that.”
“I feel like I gained a whole other family with Ronald McDonald now and I can’t wait to volunteer my time with them. It’s a different form of love and I’m so grateful for it,” said Yorkovich about the experience.
The non-refundable honeymoon she had planned for the Dominican Republic will be just for her and her mom though, and she definitely deserved it!
While we’re sad that her marriage didn’t come to be, her selfless act has made a lot of incredible children happy in the Minneapolis area!
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