Brighten kids’ days during Festival of Stars
November 27 was “Giving Tuesday,” a day set aside for sharing our abundance with others. I know some folks make it a point to give yearround when possible, while others do it more during the holidays. Either way, giving can make us feel better about ourselves and our situation.
When I contemplate my abundance, I have to put in perspective that it is so much more than money, cars, clothing, a big house or other possessions. I have food to eat, clothes to wear, a job I like going to each day, and friends and family that love and put up with me on a daily basis.
So, with giving in mind, I wanted to bring attention to Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Stars statewide annual toy and donation drive that will be held Dec. 14. This includes Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale as well as the Little Rock location.
In Little Rock, the event is presented by Arkansas Business Alliance. In Springdale the event is hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Circle of Friends chapter. This statewide volunteer network helps raise around $1 million annually to support programs and services at the hospitals and clinics.
Donors are encouraged to deliver their toy donations to either location Dec. 14, and enjoy Christmas music, hot cocoa, snacks and meet special guests throughout the day.
On the Little Rock campus, the Festival of Stars will take place in Children’s Hall at 1 Children’s Way from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. At the same time on the Northwest campus, the location is 2601 Gene George Blvd.
This year the organizers ask for baby items like rattles, teething rings and light-up or musical toys. For teens they request gift cards, journals and gift sets of bath, body, grooming and hygiene products.
For information, a list of other donation sites or to see the gift wish lists go to archildrens.org, look under “Support Us” for “Volunteer Engagement” and click on “Festival of Stars Toy Drive.”
Look around the site for ways to donate year-round and a few guidelines, including: No used items due to infection control policies.
Avoid toys with sharp edges, or toys made of glass or brittle plastic.
Only nontoxic paint, glue or craft supplies can be used. No latex balloons. They can use items for waiting rooms, such as packaged snacks, phone chargers, individually wrapped breakfast food, games, crossword puzzles and word searches, single coffee packets, tea bags and hot chocolate.
Sewn items should be made of new materials, no recycled fabrics. You can download a pattern to make a 17-inch tall teaching doll that uses neutral-color fabric and polyester filling. They accept bright-colored pillows made with soft fabric, with a preference for smallish travel pillows.
There are seasonal patterns for download, including one for making tiny hats for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
THANK YOU, BUT …
People like to give advice — me included. Much of it is unsolicited, and usually the person truly thinks they are helping. I have learned that it’s often better to zip it than to say something that might cause hard feelings.
I ran across an article on the website DiabetesTeam. com about a poll in which diabetics described “advice” they wished people would stop giving.
The common ones include:
“Look after yourself” “If you just lose weight it will go away, right?” “You’re just picky.” “Go for a walk.” “Why don’t you eat better?”
“Eat this! Don’t eat that!” “Just drink more water.” “Listen to your body, it will tell you what to eat.”
“So you can never eat sugar again?”
We know what we need to do for our disease, please just walk along side us, help us up when we fall and don’t judge us when our imperfections are on full display.