Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

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Nightshifter
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Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

Post by Nightshifter »

On 8/19/2011 The Midwest Garrison and Rebel Leigon members took time out of the their Friday afternoon and some even a day off of work to be able to make to Chicago Childrens Hope Hospital to visit children in the care units. while there the members themselfs with the help of Dan Siemek and his fund raiser (Bugs Pals) got to pass out Star Wars toys and some others to the children in the care units. Most of these children are in the care units for long sets of days or even months. Most of the children there are born with birth problems that enable them to stay at home but must stay under special care of the hospital staff until the day come when they can go home.
Dan Siemek and Bugs Pals named after his little girl Natiale who pasted away after only 15 months of life while under care at Hope. Has since put together a yearly toy drive to help give back in the only way he could. By gathering toys for the children there that have little or none to play with. With long days to be there . As much as a smile littele toy can bring a light into a childs eyes if even for a few days.
Dans other daughter Audrey is in my Brownie scout troop and while talking with Dan one day about what he does for Hope and the children. I started talking about the events that we as the 501st do which are along the same ways. I asked if he would like the help of the 501st and RL this time around and was taken back. So after talking with Garrison members for feed back . The quest was on. The MWG / RL and Bugs Pals set up toy collection boxes at companies and we even set up a box at both Cyphan ( Thank you Mike Bollow ) and Wizard World. With those in place . 501st / RL members also jumped in collecting toys and dropping them off at the conventions. At both cons the large box was over flowing with toys. Members like Phyllis and TK118 found extra toys they pulled from their personal collection to donate as well. Chris Spice from Sandtroopers.com also jumped in with a large collection and the list goes on.
After a few months of collecting it was time to meet the children at Hope and pass out some toys. We had a great number of members in costume from Vader , R2D2 , Rebels, and Stormtroopers and the list goes on. The nurses on staff that day made sure our time there was spent with the children and not picture taking with the doctors in other parts of the hospital.
This was hard on some of us to see the children in their position, but like always we trooped on. after going room to room we hit the lobby where kids were coming and going. The smile that day seemed endless.
After we were done and suiting down. Dan said we had gathered an est of 390 toys mosty SW for the kids. The staff was beyond impressed with how we worked with the kids and want to know if we could come back next year???
That was asked to members there and at other events and I myself dont event think i heard the word No or not sure yet. All I heard was YES i am in.

The end of the day closed with us taking a group picture at the bench set in Hope Garden in Natailes name.

I would like to thank all members of both the 501st MWG and RL for their personal time in this event and all members who found it in their hearts to part with their personal SW toys from their collection or went out and bought some.
We are planning to try this again in 2012 so please stay tuned.

Thanks goes out to members that made it out and those who wished they could have made it out. Thank you.
Nightshifter
DarthRaiser
Phyllis
ID3052
TK3446
TI4438
Artoo Gochi
TK9093
jstacko
Darthspice
Augie
Sorry if I missed anyones name..
Below is the link to the form on this event..
http://www.midwestgarrison.com/forum/vi ... 71&t=12368
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world

TI4438
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Re: Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

Post by TI4438 »

Events like this are the reason I joined the Legion.I'd definately do it again next year. :thumbs:

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crix
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Re: Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

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added to TOD

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Whinter
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Re: Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

Post by Whinter »

I was there too (3127)!! :dance: I'm the one holding the Ewok! :lol:

And TK-4034 Steve Gaza (he's behind Jody).

Image

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crix
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Re: Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

Post by crix »

I was there too (3127)!! :dance: I'm the one holding the Ewok! :lol:

And TK-4034 Steve Gaza (he's behind Jody).
added to TOD

TI4438
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Re: Hope hospital / bugs Pals fund raiser

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