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04.11.03

Toys from tots
 

Joanne Penezic deliverd toys donated by the Helen Keller Elementary School in Franklin to 6 East

n the last Friday of each month, Joanne Penezic brings toys to Children’s from Helen Keller Elementary School in Franklin to fill the “treasure chest” toy boxes in the cardiac unit’s procedure rooms.

Last year Penezic’s son Justin, a kindergartner, spent a week on the unit. Toys from the chest, says his mom, “helped pass the time and made him feel comfortable in his room.”

Because the chests are in constant need of new items, Penezic started a donation program at Justin’s school. Each month she and other parents visit a different grade and invite the students to talk about their own hospital experiences. Students who choose to donate new toys fill a special chest at the school, which is then brought to Children’s.

The toy chests on 6 East were originally donated by the family of Joshua Swinson, who lost his battle with congenital heart disease in 1993. “They wanted to make a difference in a child’s life, and I can honestly say it made a difference for my son,” says Penezic. “It has become my dream to instill in the kids that little acts of kindness can make a big difference in our world.”