What started as a simple idea turned into 369 opportunities for kids to create, build, learn and hopefully find a little enjoyment during a difficult time.
On September 4, Stoney Shire & Company delivered 369 donated activity items to Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, made possible by the incredible support of our community.
The idea behind the drive came in part from my own experience spending time at Golisano with my oldest son. Our stays were relatively short, but even during that time I began to recognize how difficult it can be for a child to spend day after day in a hospital room with very little they can actually do.
Talking with the nurses put that experience into a much larger perspective. Some children and their families are there for far longer periods of time. Days can turn into weeks, and the nurses shared how restless kids can become, especially when their circumstances limit where they can go or what they are able to do.
There may be a television, tablet or phone available, but those are largely things to watch and observe. We wanted to give kids another option, something that allowed them to actually create.
That became the purpose behind the Activity Drive.
We focused heavily on activities children could work on independently or with minimal assistance. Drawing, painting, sketching, sewing, building, designing, jewelry making and other creative projects gave us an opportunity to provide more than something to simply pass the time.
Sometimes having that first good kit, with the right materials and everything needed to get started, can open the door to creativity.
A drawing or painting kit could uncover an interest in art. A sewing project could introduce a new skill. A building kit could spark curiosity about how things work. A child might create something they are proud of, discover something they enjoy or simply have something meaningful to focus on during a difficult afternoon.
Any one of those outcomes makes the effort worthwhile.
369 Items From One Incredible Community
Throughout August, donations continued arriving at Stoney Shire & Company at 116 Main Street in Boonville.
Some people brought in one or two activities. Others arrived with bags and boxes. Some purchased items directly from the shop, while others contributed money and trusted us to select activities on their behalf.
Every contribution became part of the same effort.
By the time everything was collected, counted and prepared for delivery, our community had contributed 369 individual activity items for children at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.
On September 4, those items made their way to Syracuse.
Seeing everything together before the delivery really put into perspective what can happen when a community gets behind a simple idea.
Thank You
Thank you to every person, family, organization and business that contributed, shared the drive or helped spread the word.
Thank you to the Boonville Herald for helping us tell the story and bring additional awareness to the collection.
And thank you to the team at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital for giving us the opportunity to contribute to the children and families they serve.
Stoney Shire has always been built around creativity, connection and giving people opportunities to discover what they can do. This drive gave us an opportunity to take that idea beyond the walls of our shop.
For 369 activities, we don’t know exactly what happens next.
Maybe one becomes a favorite drawing.
Maybe another teaches a child something they didn’t know how to do before.
Maybe one helps a child discover a creative outlet they continue long after leaving the hospital.
Or maybe one simply makes a difficult afternoon go by a little faster.
Whatever comes from them, they were given by a community that wanted those kids and their families to know that people were thinking about them.
And that is something worth building on.