by Daniel Leonetti
COLORADO SPRINGS — It was a milestone million.
It took 14 years and hundreds of friends, the commitment of a town and its surrounding communities, local schools, a prison, a local newspaper employee and over 15 states and one foreign country to reach the milestone.
On November 10, more than a million tabs were donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Colorado Springs. County Treasurer Donna Leonetti had graduated from a Walmart plastic bag in 2009 to seventeen 50-pound plastic tubs of tabs in 2023. The tabs weighed 850 pounds.
Sam Milan, Ronald McDonald House Development Director and Captain Dan, Communications Manager and radio personality, were waiting in anticipation for the truck and trailer of tabs, driven by Debra Reynolds. There was heartfelt applause from the RMH staff on the truck’s arrival.
“Donna’s passion for our kids is contagious,” Milan said. “It’s exciting to see Donna inspire so many to get involved. Many hands make light work.” As the shiny aluminum tabs poured in metallic glee from the barrels into every container the RMH could muster, KOAA TV cameraman Shawn Shanle filmed the donation for the station’s evening news and became Leonetti’s biggest fan. “What a feat,” he later said. “She has inspired so many people from so many places to help very ill children and their families.”
The total of a million tabs will be trucked to Koscove Metal in Colorado Springs where they will be recycled and a check issued to the local RMD House. The purpose of these RMD Houses, scattered throughout the world, is to help families physically, emotionally and economically during their child’s health care journey. These houses provide families a place to stay free of charge and provide them with home cooked meals. The houses are strategically placed minutes away from the hospitals. There are 368 houses in 64 countries.
“I am so grateful for all the donations from so many people,” Leonetti said. “I am so sorry I can’t name all of you. You don’t know how much you have inspired me in striving for my goals for the last 14 years. I am blessed to have all of you.”
The 1,000,000+ donation of 850-pounds last Friday may be the largest donation from an individual in one year. Jim Spinler from Medford MN, who worked 50 years on a garbage truck, turned in his 30 year collection of tabs for a 3+ million total a few years ago. “It wouldn’t surprise any of us if Donna breaks world records someday,” Milan said. She may already hold the record: her 15-year total of 4,080-pounds is approximately 5,736, 000 tabs and shatters Spinler’s record. “From a classic plastic bag to one million tabs is inspirational,” Milan said. “We expect a lot from her and she accomplishes astounding goals. We know she has a goal of 1,000 pounds in her 15th year. It’s incredible.”
Milan hopes that more schools, businesses, and people will join Leonetti’s campaign for tabs. “People like Donna bring more public relations awareness to our Ronald McDonald Houses and inspire even more financial donations. So, it even goes beyond tabs. Each and every time someone pulls and saves a pop tab, they will think of a sick child.”
Shanle has joined the bandwagon. The cameraman who has been filming news stories for Fox News in Denver and later at KOAA News for the last six years promised to return in Leonetti’s 15th year. Reynolds understands his feeling. “I had the same feelings on my first trip last year,” she said. “It’s something that stirs the heart.”
“I hope to see this good cause grow worldwide,” Shanle said. “It was an honor to film this story. It is one of these feel-good stories that I enjoy so much. This was the best story I filmed since I been in Colorado. I’m looking forward to filming next year and smashing a new record.”
