In effort to help sick and injured children feel better while they are receiving treatment, a local 4-H club recently donated toys they had collected over a six-week period. Starting in the first week of October, the Arcadia Energetics began gathering items that would comfort children who are patients at the St. Anthony Regional Hospital Emergency Department, Surgery Center and Clinic. On Sunday, Nov. 11, members from the club presented 145 stuffed animals, 59 coloring books and various other toys. “We are proud of the progress we made in only our second year of collecting toys and doing this service project,” says Club President, Rachel Steinkamp. She also offered the club’s thanks to several businesses that assisted in collecting the toys: the Flower Shack in Arcadia, The Observer in Westside, Carroll County Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach and St. Anthony Regional Hospital. In addition to the toy drive, the Arcadia Energetics worked at Godfather’s Pizza and Pizza Ranch to raise money to purchase more gifts and stationary to include with their donation. The club donated just over 250 items to the hospital last year and plans to host the toy drive again next year.
