Holiday toy drive kicks off at Children’s Hospital
Jackie Davis unloaded two large boxes filled with toys from the back of a dark SUV at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the cold rain Saturday morning.
Her son, 9-year-old Brandon, jumped out to help as volunteers accepted the boxes at a curbside tent.
“He is a leukemia survivor. So we’ve been on the receiving end a lot,” said Davis, 40, of Lewis Center, after making a large toy run at Target.
For the Davis family, the toy drive is a way to give back.
Saturday marked the kickoff of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s holiday toy drive, which runs through Dec. 21. Thee toys will go to children who are being treated at the hospital. On Saturday, approximately 700 boxes of toys were dropped off. In the past, as many as 6,700 boxes of toys have been donated during the month of December.
Scott Hilbert, assistant director for community and corporate partnership for the Nationwide Children’s Foundation, said stories like those of the Davis family are not uncommon. Many of those dropping off toys have a personal survivor story or have extended family members who have had stays at the hospital.
“Obviously, during the holidays no kiddo wants to be in the hospital, so what we do is try to make it as normal as possible. Some of these gifts, some of these games and activities really just help break up the Volunteer Donna LeCrone helps unload a box of toddler toys during the holiday toy drive. The hospital is accepting toys, which go to patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, until noon Dec. 21. time that the kiddos have to spend here,” he said.
Brandon remembers what he did during his hospital stays. He played the Let’s Go Fishin’ board game, matching games, and passed the time with coloring books and sand art.
“People gave me stuff when I was in the hospital. It’s nice to give them stuff back,” he said.
Brandon just went to a fouryear doctor’s appointment to learn that he is now entering the survivorship program, Davis said.
The hospital wish list for toys includes: plastic infant/ toddler musical light-up or vibrating toys; small- and medium-size Lego sets; UNO card games; Little Tikes and Fisher-Price action structures and parts; Crayola art supplies; coloring books; and Play-Doh kits.
Toys can be donated at the hospital between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays or between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Fridays. The latest the hospital can receive toys is noon Dec. 21. If anyone is making a large donation of 50 or more toys, they are asked to call in advance to alert staff at 614-722-3635.