Rascal Flatts Will Continue Support of Children’s Hospital in 2012

Rascal Flatts just announced plans to branch out from music, but they’ll have to schedule it around their continued charitable efforts.

The trio has pledged to continue their support of Nashville’s Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a hospital for which they’ve been helping to raise money for years. They’ve secured almost three million dollars since the partnership began.

The funds for 2012 are going to focus on neonatal care. “It’s the only thing, medically, that they just have no clue on,” Gary LeVox says. “Why children are born premature. So we’re going to do what we can to help try to find out and see if we can’t just be a small part of trying to change history a little bit.”

A cause near and dear to all the band members’ hearts: Gary and Joe Don Rooney both have two children, and Jay DeMarcus and his wife are expecting their second child.

“I know, as a parent myself now, that if anything was to happen to my children, they’d be in great hands at this wonderful, wonderful hospital,” Joe Don says. “Through all this, we’ve learned a great deal about ourselves and family and about just how important it is to love our kids and just be proud supporters.”

The hospital showed their appreciation for the band’s efforts with the naming of the “Rascal Flatts Pediatric Surgery Center” in 2010. However, their main goal isn’t to get their name out there.

“Our intent from day one was just to try to raise some money and create more awareness for this wonderful hospital,” Joe Don clarifies. “It’s turned out to be a journey that I don’t think we’ve ever dreamed would come this far.”

In recognition of their efforts, the trio will be given the 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award at the Country Radio Seminar this year.

Rascal Flatts is currently finishing up their “Thaw Out” tour with Sara Evans and Hunter Hayes, and their brand new album, Changed, is slated to be released April 3.

-Kathryn Paulson, CMIL Intern