Redlands Excessive College sophomore Caden Henderson isn’t letting the coronavirus pandemic cease his annual custom of giving again to the Loma Linda College Youngsters’s Hospital.
Since 2017, Henderson, now 15, has collected more than 1,000 teddy bears for sufferers, however with so many companies that had been drop-off places closed or solely working open air, he stated he knew the drive could be a problem in 2020.
“After discussing this 12 months’s drive and the pandemic with LLUCH, we knew we needed to do one thing completely different for this 12 months that had much less contact,” he wrote in an electronic mail.
He had began gathering the stuffed animals after his personal keep within the hospital.
“The bear broke the ice with nurses and docs after they got here in,” he stated. “We thought it might be enjoyable if each affected person might have a bear, and Christmas was across the nook, so we determined to host a bear drive yearly on the holidays.”
Having additionally raised cash for a gaming console for the hospital, he knew there have been usually larger wants.
“They advised us that iPads are useful for sufferers who’re in isolation to have the ability to talk with and see their household,” he stated. “Additionally they stated they’re useful to distract youthful sufferers throughout procedures.”
He stated he hopes to boost a minimum of $2,500 to buy seven or extra iPads, and he’s nicely on his method even earlier than the fundraiser formally goes dwell.
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, Brian Seghers, proprietor of Rendition Tattoo; the Redlands Skilled Firefighters Benevolent Fund; and Blue Collar Athletics every dedicated to donate $500. The tattoo parlor had been a teddy bear drop-off web site in earlier years.
Whereas the net fundraiser is much less work than selecting up and dropping off so many stuffed animals, assembly all people can be what made the mission a lot enjoyable, stated Henderson’s mother, Jill Henderson.
“Everybody has a narrative about their bears and it’s a pleasure,” she wrote in an electronic mail. “… nonetheless, we’re so excited to have the ability to present them with these iPads throughout such a difficult 12 months.”
She stated her son’s enthusiasm for serving to the hospital makes her proud.
“When Caden was within the hospital I stayed with him, so the most effective half about watching him give again is the sensation we each get serving to the hospital and workers that helped us,” she stated.
The fundraiser launches Sunday, Nov. 1, on-line at giving.lluch.org/CadenGivesBack.
