Children use holiday mailbox to spread cheer

Youngsters write letters to children in local hospitals

For the holiday season, Ritter Public Library, 5680 Liberty Ave. in Vermilion, has been the collection site for three different donation drive efforts.

For its most recent collection drive, Ritter has placed a holiday mailbox in the children’s department for youngsters to write letters and draw pictures for youngsters who are hospitalized at the holiday season.

“The holiday mailbox came from an initiative we had this summer,” said Patty Kischman, communication manager for Ritter. “The staff in youth services put out a letter-writing station with a pretend mailbox.

“The kids loved it. They would write notes to pen pals and put notes in mailboxes. They would rush every day to see their notes. ... The children enjoyed it.”

Kischman said the staff decided to bring the mailbox back for the holidays from Dec. 3-15, this time sending out letters to children at local hospitals.

“It’s not a surprise to us that this is taking off,” she said. “It’s giving parents another opportunity to show kids their value system, that the holidays are not just about getting things, but also giving back.”

Kischman said 36 letters have been collected as of Dec. 12. They will be distributed to the Ronald McDonald House, 10415 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland.

Other donations drives at the library this year were the Operation Christmas Joy and shoe donation drive put on through Vermilion High School yearbook staff.

Although Operation Christmas Joy is no longer accepting donations at the library, the shoe drive will accept gently used shoes of any type or size through Dec. 19.

Vermilion High hopes to collect 3,000 pairs of shoes to send to people in developing nations.

Patty Kischman said 36 letters have been collected as of Dec. 12.

COURTESY OF PATTY KISCHMAN Shiloh Wesly, 4, right, and her mother, Brittany Wesley, both of Vermilion, write letters to hospitalized children through the Ritter Public Library’s holiday mailbox program.