Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Children's Hospital

Stuffed yet ... I just had my turkey soup leftovers.

If you remember last year, I raised, or shall we say collected, 17 pairs of pajamas for the Scholastic "The Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive."  I remember the director of my children's daycare center having to hold the door open for me as I lugged in my big box of all your donations.  They were all very impressed and even more so, grateful.

This year, the U-Gro Learning Center at Hershey has decided to team up with the Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital to help gather toys for the children at the CHOP branch at the medical center along with their "ChildLife" program.  We all know the very popular name of Children's Hospital, yet many people are not aware of what "ChildLife" is.  Let me explain in a rather personal manner.

I say personal because I have had experiences with them twice now ... once when Max split his head and the other when Charlie split his head.  These are some of the most patient, loving, understanding, heartfelt, and gentle people I have ever met.  Don't get me wrong, I did think they were child services when I first met them as they arrived in my son's room declaring they worked with the medical center specifically when small children were brought in.  Eeks.  Yet they soon reassured us all as they distracted my bleeding children, calmed down a very freaked out Michael and myself, and proceeded to offer the boys toys and games to help them through their glue-ings and stitches.  They were there to sing, act silly, offer crayons and manipulatives all the while Michael and I could listen to the on-call doctors and plastic surgeons discuss what needed to be done for our boys.  They made it through and our associate moved on to the next room, but did not forget to give our boys each a parting gift for being so brave.  We still have our small "Lightning McQueen" and "Tow Mater" cars that are still played with weekly.  When we ask them where the toys came from, they tell us the hospital.  If anyone is interested in reading some more, please see the following link.

http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/childlife/home/aboutus

We were told specific things that are in high demand right now for our CHOP branch here in Hershey, yet I also included a list I found from the website.  If anyone would like to help me collect toys for this very special cause, please let me know.  I am very willing to come get it from you or feel free to drop it off at the center yourself Here is what we were specifically told to donate and all products must be new:

Crayola Model Magic - bold colors, Presto Dots Kits, Color Fillz Pop Art
Crayola Color Fillz Mosaic Kits
Fuzzy Posters
"Play-a-Sound" books
Small Lego Kits
Wooden Craft Kits
Snap Together model car kits
Chapstick/Lip gloss
Chutes and Ladders
CandyLand
Monopoly
Sorry Sliders
Arts and Crafts Kits
Apples to Apples
Monopoly
Connect 4
Sorry
Batteries (AAA, AA, C, D)


Children's Wish List(from the website)

All Ages

• Single packages of tissues (soft variety)
• Children's board books - English and Spanish (must be brand new)
• Thin coloring books
• Crayons - 8, 16 or 24 count
• Markers - washable - 8 or 16 count
• New release Lullaby CDs
• Fuzzy posters - various sizes
• Sun-catchers (paint-able)
• Individual perler bead kits
• Play-doh - all sizes
• 4 oz or 8 oz Miracle Bubbles (non-scented)
• Small spill proof Bubbles
• Socks (must be brand new)

Preschoolers

• Stickers
• Small, easy craft kits

School Age

• Small Lego kits
• Craft kits - Individual
• Latch hook kits
• Games as listed...Sorry, Sorry Sliders, Trouble, Apple to Apples, Monopoly, Monopoly Jr., Battleship, Yahtze, Connect 4, Boggle, Upwords, Phase 10, various UNO games, Bob It, Creationary, Scrabble Jr, Boggle and Boggle Jr,, Clue, Clue Jr., Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders (NO Ants in the Pants, or Dominoes at this time)
• Card Games (regular playing cards, UNO, Skip-Bo, Phase 10) (NO Go Fish, Old Maid & Memory at this time)

Teenagers

• Arts and crafts kits (Alex brand name really enjoyed)
• Sketch pads and sketch tools
• Snap together model car kits
• Current teen magazines
• Chapstick / Lip Gloss
• Lipsmackers Chapstick
• Body Lotions and Body Sprays
• AXE products (items for our older teens)
• Nail Polish (NO Nail Polish Remover at this time)
• Hair accessories - pony tail holders, barrettes, headbands

We are UNABLE to accept the following:

• Blankets
• Caps / Hats
• Stuffed animals
• Used books
• VHS tapes
• Homemade cards

THANK YOU  for anything you might be able to give!

November 29th, 2013

open your wallet ... and pantry

It was one of those market visits today where I spent over 80 dollars and wondered what I walked away?  A gallon of milk, cereal, some lunch meat and cheese, a few produce items, a few pieces of meat ... perhaps a candy bar for myself.  I get so annoyed with how much I spend and I know I'll be back in a few days.  Feeding my household of 3 men is a full time job.  I can't imagine more than that.  But I can say without hesitation that atleast I have the mean sto fed them.  How many parents are hungry because they worry about feeding their children first?  How many children go with only one meal a day - their free meal at school? 

I stood behind a woman at the checkout that had her WIC check ready to pay for her few meager items.  I don't know why I didn't think of it, but I should have paid for her items.  She didn't have her nails done.  She didn't have a fancy phone.  I didn't even see her with a phone.  I did see her nails bit to the quick, scruffy clothes, and a cold tired look on her face.

I remember sitting at my school desk this morning bitching how I did not have a spoon and my almond milk was in the fridge downstairs.  Aren't there too many people out there who do not have need for a spoon or almond milk because they have no cereal to put it on.  Every day people surround us who are hungry, who had no breakfast, but I'm complaining about my milk, which I already have.

As we enter the holiday season, I ask any of you readers to spend an extra minute in the can aisle at your grocery store and pick up a few more cans of Chef Boyardee or green beans to donate.  Turn in your turkey to a local food bank.  Go to the local shelter on Thanksgiving and help them out.

Too many people, specifically children, go hungry every day.  You can help.

November 12th, 2013