Michellez
December 21st, 2003, 13:26
Well the toy drive was a great success and we could not have done it without everyone who helped out and who donated toys. I have posted some pics and also wrote a recap of how things went at UCI. We didn't get to delv toys to the kids at Millers due to a lock down of vistors to only family members, because of the Flu Virus that is going around. They did not want any of the kids to come down with it. They did how ever say that they will send us photos of kids with the toys.
OHV TOY DRIVE PICS (http://gotdunes.com/OHV%20TOY%20DRIVE.htm )
UCI Santa visits the kids.
All of the stocking were hung and Santa was ready to delivery the toys to the kids. We arrived at the hospital and Santa was at the curb waiting for the toys to hand out to all of the kids. Our group ended up being the only group that showed up with toys to hand out to the kids, there was another group that was handing out stuffed teddy bears and candy canes. So they were really glad to see us with all of the toys that we had in the back of our Suburban. We unloaded all of the toys into the wagons and off to the rooms to see all of the kids. We started out in the burn unit and handed out a few toys there and then off to the isolated ward where the kids are stuck in there rooms with no visitors to come and see them, not even there doors to there rooms can be opened due to the germs that are in the air. Santa was very sad that he could not take in the toys for them, so we asked the nurses to take the toys in for us with a Polaroid picture of Santa holding there gift. We went room to room taking a pictures of Santa and leaving them with there gifts, some of the kids really wanted to see Santa and tell them what they really wanted for Christmas, but all they could do is wave to Santa threw the small window in there door. Once we were done with that ward, we pulled the wagons on to the next one to see more kids. In the next ward was a down grade to the other ward were we could not see the kids, this ward only staff and nurses could go into the rooms due to all of the problems with the kids. Plus the fact that this years Flu Virus has been so bad, that they didn’t want to get any of the kids sick, so us helpers of Santa could only look into the rooms while Santa handed them the toys, the looks on there faces when Santa came to see them and bearing gifts was such a sight to see. I cannot even express it into words, all I could do is look at my own kids that were helping Santa also and see how they reacted to each of the kids that we got to see.
There were a few things that stand out in my mind and I know in the others minds that were there with Santa passing out the toys. The first one was a little baby boy that was less than three months old that was very sick and had been in the hospital a while. Santa gave him one of the small stuffed animals that were donated just for infants, it had a small mirror on the bottom with plastic feet, he was so excited over that little thing that he latched on and would not let go. The second one was a little boy that had been in the hospital for a while, Santa gave him his gift and before Santa could turn away he said that he wanted to tell him something. So Santa leaned over to the little boy, thinking that he was going to tell him what he wanted for Christmas, but to Santa’s surprise, the little boy made Santa a promise that he would not have to come and visit him in the hospital next year that he was going to get better and get out of there.
The last thing that really stands out in my mind and in my heart is a little girl that has been very ill and slipped into a comma three months ago. This little girl’s brothers and parents would come to the hospital everyday to see her and while they were there they would talk to her and ask her to wake up. With each day passing, the little girl’s brothers would ask the nurses if she would ever wake up. All of them would tell the boys to keep praying and keep talking to her, because she could hear them talking to her. So as it nears Christmas time, the boys, parents and the nurses would tell her that she needed to wake up because Santa Claus was coming to see her. So while Santa was in the room seeing some of the other kids that shared the room, this little girl opened her eyes, smiled and reached out to Santa. The nurses could not believe that she had awakened just in time to see him before he had to leave to see other children. All of the nurses and the staff that was with us started to cry and could not believe what had just happened. When the came out of the room to let us know what happened, everyone in the hall just looked at each other and not one of us could find the words to describe what had just happened. Its like in the movies where you only hear of these types of things happening, but as we stood in the halls it was happening right before our eyes, some might call it a miracle.
Well over all the night was a hit and we had more toys, than we had kids to hand them out to. All of the remaining toys were donated to the hospital to give to any kids that comes in after Santa Claus visits. Also some of the items were items that stayed at the hospital for the kids to enjoy while they are there, this was items like board games, puzzles and video’s. I cannot wait to go to the next hospital to give the toys out once again.
OHV TOY DRIVE PICS (http://gotdunes.com/OHV%20TOY%20DRIVE.htm )
UCI Santa visits the kids.
All of the stocking were hung and Santa was ready to delivery the toys to the kids. We arrived at the hospital and Santa was at the curb waiting for the toys to hand out to all of the kids. Our group ended up being the only group that showed up with toys to hand out to the kids, there was another group that was handing out stuffed teddy bears and candy canes. So they were really glad to see us with all of the toys that we had in the back of our Suburban. We unloaded all of the toys into the wagons and off to the rooms to see all of the kids. We started out in the burn unit and handed out a few toys there and then off to the isolated ward where the kids are stuck in there rooms with no visitors to come and see them, not even there doors to there rooms can be opened due to the germs that are in the air. Santa was very sad that he could not take in the toys for them, so we asked the nurses to take the toys in for us with a Polaroid picture of Santa holding there gift. We went room to room taking a pictures of Santa and leaving them with there gifts, some of the kids really wanted to see Santa and tell them what they really wanted for Christmas, but all they could do is wave to Santa threw the small window in there door. Once we were done with that ward, we pulled the wagons on to the next one to see more kids. In the next ward was a down grade to the other ward were we could not see the kids, this ward only staff and nurses could go into the rooms due to all of the problems with the kids. Plus the fact that this years Flu Virus has been so bad, that they didn’t want to get any of the kids sick, so us helpers of Santa could only look into the rooms while Santa handed them the toys, the looks on there faces when Santa came to see them and bearing gifts was such a sight to see. I cannot even express it into words, all I could do is look at my own kids that were helping Santa also and see how they reacted to each of the kids that we got to see.
There were a few things that stand out in my mind and I know in the others minds that were there with Santa passing out the toys. The first one was a little baby boy that was less than three months old that was very sick and had been in the hospital a while. Santa gave him one of the small stuffed animals that were donated just for infants, it had a small mirror on the bottom with plastic feet, he was so excited over that little thing that he latched on and would not let go. The second one was a little boy that had been in the hospital for a while, Santa gave him his gift and before Santa could turn away he said that he wanted to tell him something. So Santa leaned over to the little boy, thinking that he was going to tell him what he wanted for Christmas, but to Santa’s surprise, the little boy made Santa a promise that he would not have to come and visit him in the hospital next year that he was going to get better and get out of there.
The last thing that really stands out in my mind and in my heart is a little girl that has been very ill and slipped into a comma three months ago. This little girl’s brothers and parents would come to the hospital everyday to see her and while they were there they would talk to her and ask her to wake up. With each day passing, the little girl’s brothers would ask the nurses if she would ever wake up. All of them would tell the boys to keep praying and keep talking to her, because she could hear them talking to her. So as it nears Christmas time, the boys, parents and the nurses would tell her that she needed to wake up because Santa Claus was coming to see her. So while Santa was in the room seeing some of the other kids that shared the room, this little girl opened her eyes, smiled and reached out to Santa. The nurses could not believe that she had awakened just in time to see him before he had to leave to see other children. All of the nurses and the staff that was with us started to cry and could not believe what had just happened. When the came out of the room to let us know what happened, everyone in the hall just looked at each other and not one of us could find the words to describe what had just happened. Its like in the movies where you only hear of these types of things happening, but as we stood in the halls it was happening right before our eyes, some might call it a miracle.
Well over all the night was a hit and we had more toys, than we had kids to hand them out to. All of the remaining toys were donated to the hospital to give to any kids that comes in after Santa Claus visits. Also some of the items were items that stayed at the hospital for the kids to enjoy while they are there, this was items like board games, puzzles and video’s. I cannot wait to go to the next hospital to give the toys out once again.