Wayland Union and Hopkins school districts deliver two bus loads of donated toys to Spectrum Health Children's Hospital for the second annual "Epic Toy Drive."
Wayland Union and Hopkins school districts deliver two bus loads of donated toys to Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital for the second annual Epic Toy Drive. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Child Life specialist Rhys Vandemark pulls a cart of large boxes containing new and unwrapped toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Dawson Babiak, 6, laughs with his mother, Alison Babiak, during the Epic Toy Drive delivery. Dawson was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in November 2014 at 4 years old. The Babiak family started this donation in 2015 as a big thank-you to the hospital and its staff members. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Students from Hopkins and Wayland Union dressed as Santa's elves and reindeer to help deliver the toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Hopkins students sing Christmas carols in the bus before unpacking toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
The two communities were asked to donate toys, crafts, crayons, markers, coloring books and snacks. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
The Babiak family estimated the value of gifts reached nearly $15,000 this year. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
These toys provide either a creative outlet or just a sense of normalcy for the children being treated at the hospital. A toy can serve as a distraction from a tough day during whatever battle they may be fighting. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Student helpers unpack the second bus delivery. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Toys are packed in large boxes and filled to the rim. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A student helper fixes her reindeer ears while helping to unload boxes of toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Child Life staff will give them to children throughout the year to celebrate birthdays and milestones, such as the last day of chemo, and to provide comfort on tough days. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Any extra toys will be stored in the hospital's warehouse and new toys will be delivered monthly to the hospital or as needed. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
A student helper smiles as she unloads toys and snacks from the bus. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Lenny Ruthruff, a Hopkins part-time firefighter, loads toys and boxes of snacks onto a rack during the toy drive. Ruthruff is dressed in a pink firefighter uniform to represent the cancer support organization, Pink Heals. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Boxes of toys fill the stage in Balk Cafeteria after the first bus load. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Alison, Jason, Dawson, 6, bottom left, and Mason, 9, pose for a photo near the donated toys after the Epic Toy Drive delivery. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Student helpers play in the lobby of the hospital after unpacking the buses. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Student helpers from Hopkins and Wayland pose for a photo with the donated toys. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
When Dawson was first diagnosed in November 2014, he spent a couple of weeks in the hospital before Thanksgiving and another long stretch just before Christmas. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Dawson continues to go for regular check-ups but is doing well and will continue to give back to the hospital and make other children smile each year with the Epic Toy Drive. (Taylor Ballek | Spectrum Health Beat)
Two buses packed with new, unwrapped donated toys rolled into the hospital parking lot with police and fire escort Tuesday morning for the Epic Toy Drive.
One of the organizers of the toy drive is Hopkins, Michigan, resident Dawson Babiak, 6. Dawson spent a couple of weeks at the hospital before Thanksgiving and another long stretch before Christmas following his November 2014 acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosis.
What got him through the tough times? Toys.
“We’ve walked in the shoes here at the hospital,” said Dawson’s mother, Alison Babiak. “Just to be able to have these kids have something to get them through the day—whether it’s a coloring book, or a stuffed animal, or a little doll or anything— it’s just something to bring a little bit of joy to them.”
Students from both Wayland and Hopkins public school districts dressed as Santa’s helpers, wearing elf and reindeer costumes, helped unload the bus.
“It probably isn’t any fun being a kid and being sick in a hospital, but if I was sick, I would want to be here. This place is so fun,” said one student to another.
Almost doubling last year’s total value of toys, this year the school districts delivered nearly $15,000 in toys.
In conjunction with the bus toy drop, the Hopkins Public School District also contributed to the ‘Kaelee Noble Wish Tree’ to honor Kaelee Noble, an 11-year-old girl who lost her battle to an inoperable brain tumor in January 2014.
This tree was created by Kaelee’s grandmother DeeDee Noble and Kaelee’s twin sister, Kara. The school district collected gift cards and food items for the Pediatric Oncology Resource Team food pantry.
“When we would come up to the hospital, we were always provided snacks and things to drink and I know there is a great need for that,” DeeDee Noble said. “When you are packing up to come to the hospital daily or weekly, you don’t think to pack a lunch. (The Pediatric Oncology Resource Team is) always so good to families and we love DeVos.”
Shari Schwanzl, vice president of operations/nursing at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, said she is seldom at a loss for words, but this year’s Epic Toy Donation may have just done it for her.
“Two things came to mind this morning as I was thinking about this event and I thought—you know, one is that it takes a village, and it absolutely takes a village to run a children’s hospital,” Schwanzl said.
And the other thought?
“We often say, ‘And a child shall lead them,’ and so Dawson, I think that is a fair statement to say about what you have started here today with your family and your friends and your community. …We truly appreciate it.”
Dawson is our grandson and we know first hand how wonderful this hospital and it’s staff are. Thanks for taking the time to post this beautiful video. God’s continuing blessing to you all. Ruth Beier
Thank you, Ruth, for your kind comment. And how wonderful it must be to have such amazing grandchildren who understand the true spirit of Christmas! Cheers, Cheryl
I am Mr. Babiak’s student for one of his classes just wanted to say that I am glad that people are making people’s lives and hopes better! Even Helen Devos Children’s Hospital… Thoughts and Prayers are sent your way kids! Merry Special Christmas!
Dawson is our grandson and we know first hand how wonderful this hospital and it’s staff are. Thanks for taking the time to post this beautiful video. God’s continuing blessing to you all. Ruth Beier
Thank you, Ruth, for your kind comment. And how wonderful it must be to have such amazing grandchildren who understand the true spirit of Christmas! Cheers, Cheryl
I am Mr. Babiak’s student for one of his classes just wanted to say that I am glad that people are making people’s lives and hopes better! Even Helen Devos Children’s Hospital… Thoughts and Prayers are sent your way kids! Merry Special Christmas!