ACCF serves as conduit for Toys and Teddy Bears project

Authored by Jim Langham on Feb 10, 2012

Hearts of those involved with the Adams County Community Foundation's "Make a Wish for Kids Fund" were quickly softened when Julie Johnson, pediatric hospice director for Family LifeCare, introduced the story of a 10-month-old infant who had a terminal illness. To complicate the situation, the child was one of 10 children in a financially strapped family.
The illness, Johnson said, was genetic; a 14-month-old in the same family had passed away. Five out of the 10 children had special needs.
Due to provisions made by the David Houck Memorial Fund(s) of the Community Foundation, money was available to provide personal items such as wipes and formula for the ailing child.
Through Houck's generosity, three funds were set up pertaining to the needs of children: David Houck Memorial Cops for Kids Fund, David Houck Memorial Make a Wish Fund and David Houck Memorial Toys and Teddy Bears Fund.
Volunteers involved with the Extension Homemakers have taken on a major project of putting together up to 35 bags each month to be distributed for children in the emergency room or pediatric unit. The purpose of the bag, consisting of such items as colors, coloring books, teddy bears, puzzles and other items to occupy their interest, is to keep the children's attention occupied while they recover from illness. The bags are also given, occasionally, to siblings in order to keep them content while parents are working with their sick or injured children.
According to Coni Mayer, executive director of the Community Foundation, Enid Roe, chairman of David Houck Project, accounts for the cost of the bags and submits it to the foundation.
"We then release a check to the hospital and the hospital releases a check to Enid to reimburse for the cost," said Mayer. "The Foundation works with the homemakers. The homemakers in turn work with the nurses to see that the children get the bags.
"We got the ladies together and told them that we had an idea for a project," continued Mayer. "We told them that if they were willing to oversee the project and get the items for the bags, we would fund it."
"They always tell us they can use them right now," said Homemaker Shirley Hoffman. "I love doing this. I love hearing responses of how much it means to children. It's too bad we didn't start doing this sooner."
Susan Sefton, director of marketing and community outreach for the hospital, said that families would come to the emergency room or pediatric care. Quite often, the parents were falling apart because they were worried about their sick or injured child.
"Many times they would have other children with them that would worry because of the reaction of others," said Sefton. "We have compassionate nurses that were concerned about the whole family. We found that these bags would help distract the other children so they wouldn't worry so much."
While the David Houck Memorial Fund is one of the major players in subsidizing the needs of items for children, other funds are also available to carry out specific purposes to assist with the children.
The Eleanor J. Bressler Memorial Donor-Advised Fund, established by David and Penny Bressler in honor their daughter who died in a car crash in 2006, provides a scholarship for graduating Bellmont High School seniors majoring in education. It also underwrites funding for child safety seats and for preschool education throughout the community.
Another item funded by the Bressler Fund is Eleanor's Trunk, a plastic box filled with small gifts intended to serve as a diversion for children who are going through a difficult time. Those children could be experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one, living under difficult circumstances or are ill and undergoing medical treatment.
Sefton noted that Kate's Kart is a not-for-profit organization that supplies free books to hospitalized children along with their brothers and sisters. The children are encouraged to keep the books and take them home with them as part of the organization's mission which strives to provide a comforting diversion to children and their families, foster a love for books and ultimately literacy.
Krista and Andy Layman founded Kate’s Kart in 2008 in memory of their daughter, Kate, who suffered a chromosomal disorder that affected her heart. After four open-heart surgeries, five heart catheterizations and over 150 days in the hospital, she passed away at the age of 18 months.
Homemakers Carol Neuenschwander and Anita Miller said that words couldn’t express the joy of bringing happiness to the children through their endeavors.
"I love volunteering; my very life consists of volunteering," said Neuenschwander. "I also sew for donations by the Linus organization."
"I know that a lot of these kids come from poorer homes," said Miller. "This helps keep their minds occupied. We love helping them."
Sophia Steury said that that she realized how much these items met when she was there for a child who had pneumonia.
"She was sick, sad, and she cried a lot," said Steury. "Her parents were distraught. I went and got her a puppy pillow. She loved that pillow; she is better now but she still loves that pillow. It's amazing how attached they become to these things."
"We do a lot of scholarships for students who are graduating, but we knew that we had another audience under current," said Mayer. "We didn't realize the impact these items could have on children. You don't realize it until your health or that of those around you is compromised. When you come and see children who are close to you, as close as your backyard, you realize how much every single person can be either directly or indirectly involved in comforting those around them."

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