Pictured (front row,left to right): club members, Kendra Schuette, Olivia Tomka, Alyssa Tomka and Eva Tomka
Back Row: club members, Rachel Steinkamp and Stacey Vonnahme; club leader, Michael Patzner; club members, Nathan Vonnahme, Carter Vonnahme and Colin Johnson
Missing: club leader, Cathleen “Skip” Simons
A local group of children has just completed a six-week drive to provide some cheer to other children who are being treated at St. Anthony Regional Hospital. The Arcadia Energetics 4-H group began their collection effort during National 4-H Week in early October and collected 251 stuffed toys that were then delivered to St. Anthony earlier this month. The kids also worked at Pizza Ranch in October to raise money to buy stuffed animals, pooling that with other monetary donations received. Sara Roth, Director of the St. Anthony Emergency Department, thanked everyone who had a role in this fundraising effort, saying the toys are actually very beneficial to the children and the hospital staff. “When a pediatric patient receives a stuffed toy, we see a decrease in anxiety, an increase in trust and a bond forms between the nurse and the patient,” she says. The toys will be distributed to children in the Emergency Department, Surgery Center or those admitted as a patient. Arcadia Energetics’ President, Nate Vonnahme, says they are appreciative of all the support this effort has received. “There was such a great response that we plan to do it again next year,” he says. “We hope that kids coming to St. Anthony know other people are thinking of them and wishing them to get well soon.”
