Astros Correa, Feliz wow the fans at toy drive in The Woodlands
Mason On Saturday Hawkins, morning, 6, waited in line patiently for the arrival of Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa to show up at a local toy drive. The youngster had dutifully donated a present for local children and those in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, and he was anxious for the arrival of the World Series champion.
On Saturday morning, Mason Hawkins, 6, waited in line patiently for the arrival of Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa to show up at a local toy drive. The youngster had dutifully donated a present for local children and those in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, and he was anxious for the arrival of the World Series champion.
“He’s excited to see what kind of car he (Correa) drives,” said his dad, Chris Hawkins, a long-time Astros fan who accompanied his son as they queued in the early-morning cold. Mason’s guess? “I think it’s something between a Bugatti and a Ferrari,” he ventured.
As it turns out, Mason wasn’t able to spot Correa’s ride, but he was treated to a doubleheader of sorts when it came to Astros sightings. Not only did Correa make an appearance to sign autographs to the more than 100 fans who showed up to make a donation and meet him, Mason and his father also had an opportunity to meet Michael Feliz, a pitcher for the Astros.
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital organized the toy drive on behalf of Interfaith of The Woodlands and Texas United for Puerto Rico, a fledgling organization created in the wake of Hurricane Maria by Dr. Mario Polo, an interventional neuro-radiologist with Methodist, and Dr. Ricardo Flores of Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands.
The event was staged Saturday at Houston Methodist Emergency Care Center in The Woodlands, which only recently opened its doors on Sept. 11. Half of the toys will be distributed to local children through Interfaith of The Woodlands; the other half will be sent to Puerto Rico through the doctors’ organization.
Amy Barnett, the senior marketing and media specialist at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, she the hospital was happy to team up with the two organizations to make an impact both locally and in Puerto Rico.
“(After Hurricane Maria) hit, Dr. Polo couldn’t get in touch with his family for 10 days,” said Barnett, explaining the impetus to help. “We really wanted to do something, so we’re excited about this event.”
Missy Herndon, the president and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands, said the donations of toys from the event would benefit her group’s annual toy drive which routinely serves 1,500 children from approximately 500 families in South Montgomery County.
The gifts bound for Puerto Rico are in addition to the more than 2,500 pounds of food, medication, solar-powered lights and other necessary items that Polo and Flores worked to collect and transport to the United States island after the hurricane hit.
Brothers Seth and Jackson Pogue of Spring also attended the Saturday toy drive. They waited in line with their mother Tiffany Pogue, who said both of her sons were excited to meet the players.
The boys described the Nerf gun, baseball and Astros hat they picked out to share with children in hopes of giving them a merrier Christmas. However, Seth, 12, also was eager to talk about his trip to Game 1 of the World Series which he attended along with his 9-year-old brother.
A baseball player himself, Seth demonstrated interesting insight into the Astros’ Game 1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“(Astros pitcher Dallas) Keuchel did really good on the mound, and the defense backed him up so they won that game,” he said.
And think about meeting Correa and Feliz?
“It’s always fun to meet someone famous in person when you usually only see them on TV,” he said.