Lawrence Anderer, former chairman and longtime member of the board of directors at the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, has retired from his membership position as of December, 2007.

Anderer, a resident of Rockville Centre for 40 years, became involved at the House in 1993. When he joined the board of directors 15 years ago, he served as both president and chairman of the board for several years of his term. In the early years, he became involved as a member of the House's Speaker's Bureau. Soon after, he "fell in love" with the House mission to help families who are dealing with the serious illness of a child.

Giving back to those in need has become a way of life for Anderer and his wife, Joan, who have been married for more than 41 years. Joan Anderer has been a volunteer at the House for 15 years. The dedicated couple has made volunteerism an integral part of their lives. Further, Anderer was a coach of youth soccer and travel teams for many years. Both he and his wife became interested in assisting with a group called "Friends of Children of Vietnam." Their experience with this group, as well as his three-year tenure as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps led them to adopt their son, Michael as an infant from Vietnam. The couple has three other children and nine grandchildren in all.

A graduate of St. John's University, Anderer holds a BS degree in Mathematics and an MBA Degree from C.W. Post College of Long Island University. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, he worked for IBM Corporation and spent 20 years as an executive on Wall Street dealing in fixed-income securities for various firms. He opened his first McDonald's Restaurant in New Hyde Park in 1993, known as the "Landmark McDonald's" which is today a thriving business.

Anderer's numerous accomplishments include serving as President of the New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, President of the Long Island McDonald's Owner-Operator Association and being named Business Person of the Year by the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce. He has watched the Ronald McDonald House grow from 18 to 42 rooms; the expansion continues to help more families in need feel comfortable during their hard times. He hopes that in the future, "the House will never lose the warm, loving atmosphere which makes it so unique."

When he is not busy at work or volunteering, Anderer likes to get out on the rolling greens for a round of golf. Both he and his wife also enjoy traveling and would like to see more of this on the horizon. He is confident that he will find other options for giving back, as well.

The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is a 'home-away-from home' for families who are caring for seriously ill children undergoing medical treatment in area hospitals. Located on the campus of Schneider Children's Hospital, the House accommodates families in a warm and supportive environment. Since opening in 1986, more than 10,000 families from the United States and more than 80 countries around the world have been served. Most families are from Nassau and Suffolk Counties, as well as from the five boroughs of New York City.