EASTER Toy Drive - 2012

A wonderful success...smiles ABUNDANT...and joy and love were spread all around. The Healing Hunter Foundation delivered super cool Easter bundles to all of the children that were admitted in the Oncology Unit at Doernbecher Children's Hospital 2 days before Easter. The day was just absolutely lovely, the sun was shining, and we took the hundreds of toys and goodies that were donated and stuffed their bundles to the rim with absolute goodness...and boy were they happy to get them!




One of my FAVORITE lil' guys from that day that wanted to thank us for our sweet delivery. Oh my goodness he was so darn cute :)

I was told his whole face lit up when he opened up his Easter bundle and saw all of the amazing toys and goodies! Filled the lil' missing piece of my heart up with such love and amazingly, cool Hunter joy.



This truly was JUST a sliver of the toys that were donated. Team in Training SHOWERED us with huge sacks of toys 3 days in a row after that photo was taken. Plus more toys arrived through the mail and then we went on one more shopping spree! SO FUN and such a good feeling to race through Toys R Us with money to spend on all of these amazing lil' warriors :)



Of COURSE, Lightning was shining amongst the piles and piles of toys!



"Thank You for all the love you pour into this!!! Ryland woke up for a few minutes and was so excited to see the great gifts! The Awesome Lightning McQueen computer was a HIT!!!" Jennifer Lampert - :)

This is just (3) of the MANY wagon loads we brought into Doernbechers that day. We also filled the Toy Chest, took the wagon through Clinic and let more kids pick out toys and then filled the Toy Cart. Toys were EVERYWHERE!



Vice President of the Healing Hunter Foundation, Zen Todd, and Coach Karl of Team in Training filling the Toy Box!



And then of course, I wanted to fill the Toy Box. Oh so fun to play the Easter Bunny!







Thank you SO MUCH to all that participated and made this magical day happen.
The Easter Bunny couldn't be more proud!




A Note from Coach Karl of Team in Training:

Last Friday I had the privilege in joining Lenore, Zen, and Ryder in delivering all of the Easter love to all of the brave kiddos up at Doernbecher's Hospital. The TNT love towards the toy drive and the Easter Bunny I'm sure was enough to p*** off Santa and all of his elves. Not only was it a Good Friday, but an amazing one. Lenore and I started off by filling the toy room with three wagons worth of Easter goodie bags. While we went back to fill up the wagons and a huge plastic laundry tote full of, "extra" toys, the diligent volunteers were off and running delivering all of the Easter bags to all of the kids. I have to say, I was looking forward to seeing all of the kids as they received the bags, but at the same time I would have probably been a mess,(don't tell anyone, but sometimes I can get a bit emotional). Some of the extra toys were set aside for Easter bags for any incoming kids during the weekend, some were stuffed away in a nurses' meeting room, some were taken to the clinic, and then we topped off the toy box in the lobby. As I was following Lenore pulling her wagon of toys, a woman came out of one of the rooms and saw that I was carrying extra Healing Hunter bags. She asked me if I was the one that did all of this, (no Ferber I didn't take credit for it). I called for Lenore and she invited us into the room with her young grandson. I can't remember exactly what type of cancer he is fighting, but he is in stage 4 and his name is Mason. Mason is pictured with Lenore in the picture I posted on the Yahoo Group, on the Healing Hunter blog below, and all over Facebook.



One of my buddies once told me to always be grateful and everything else in life will take care of itself. Mason's Grandma was sooo happy to see us and very grateful for the gifts Mason received. She showed us his journey beads, his sticker calendar, and black and white pictures of all of her grandkids together dressed in old western, cowboy gear. Mason gratefully hugged his Easter goodie bag with the most amazing smile and as we said our good byes, he insisted to his Grandma that Lenore and I deserved presents as well. If you look closely in the pic, there is a red heart shaped box on Mason's tray. Mason reached into the box and handed both of us an eraser. My eraser has a smiley face and reads, "Great Effort". I don't know if I will ever see Mason again, but I will never forget that moment and I will be eternally grateful for that gift.

21 comments:

  1. Terry Robertson Ince - Congratulations and love for another great event! Well done!

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  2. Donna Sukiennik - Lenore: you have earned yourself a first class ticket to heaven a hundred times over! But for now you are the sweetest, kindest, most loving angel here on earth. AMEN!

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  3. Cathy Donovan Holt - Amazing...His love is never ending! :)

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  4. Jennifer Lampert - Thank You for all the love you pour iinto this!!! Ryland woke up for a few minutes and was so excited to see the great gifts! The Awesome Lightning McQueen computer was a HIT!!!:)

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  5. Mara Posa Tripi - Lenore........looking at the pictures of the Easter Drive!...wow!....looks like an amazing success!...of course....what smiles you brought those families (and staff)....that had to spend Easter in the hospital.....Hunter is smiling down at you...this I am sure!....Great job,you are one special bunny!

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  6. Carmella Lyman - Amazing what you do, Lenore. THANK YOU, thank you, magical, angelic Easter Bunnies.

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  7. Amy Owens Kenagy - Thanks for all you do!

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  8. Raven AndFrank Villa - Awesomeness!

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  9. Mara Posa Tripi - Truly "living to love"...♥

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  10. Sierra Montgomery - Hunter & His community of loved ones continue to inspire !! You guys rock !!

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  11. Kathy Marlowe-Shipstad - AWESOME!

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  12. Amy Green Zimmerman - Wonderful!

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  13. Cathy Donovan Holt - I love seeing all the goodies. So sweet and I can almost see the smiles ;)

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  14. Erin Corrigan Thomas - The totes are gorgeous!

    Codi Kodama Lloyd - So, so cute! Love them!

    Mara Posa Tripi - You,My Darling...have OUTDID yourself!....Totes are awesome!

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  15. Cheryl L Hamilton-Williams - You guys are amazing with your strength and generosity. Truly an inspiration to us all. Continued blessings and well wishes.

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  16. Kristen Wylie Caputo - I think they are Bun-e-tastic!!!

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  17. Linda Fernandes Bryce - Ok....I am now crying! Some day....I WILL make it up there to be a part of this amazing journey u r on Lenore! I want to stuff and hand out goodies too, but mostly, I want to squeeze all those brave little warriors! U r such a blessing to others through your own battle with this illness! I am amazed at the way u "carry on" through the pain! I really do love u and your sweet heart!

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  18. Kristen Wylie Caputo - tears tears tears..thank you for sharing. God Bless Little Mason.

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  19. Kathy Marlowe-Shipstad - Hunter has to be so proud of his "lil" family....Wow.

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