Photo (left to right): Disney's Jean Gaverth, Disney store manager Debbie Schmidt, HCGH President and CEO Vic Broccolino, HCGH Pediatric Nurse Manager Diane Emrich, Howard Hospital Foundation Vice President of Development Christopher J. McCabe, Disney's Yvonne Ma, and HCGH Director of Service Excellence Laura Klick.
Just hearing the name Disney can make your inner child smile. A warm glow engulfs you, thinking about the toys, movies, or fun times Disney has to offer.
Now imagine being that young child, but in the hospital, maybe feeling frightened or hurting, in need of comfort. Well, here come the employees or “cast members” from the Disney Store at The Mall in Columbia to offer the perfect solution to young HCGH patients, giving warmth, comfort and a wonderful distraction to pediatric patients in the form of a plush toy to hug and hold. Proudly displaying their volunt'ears' t-shirts and wearing big smiles, store manager Debbie Schmidt, along with cast members Jean Gaverth and Yvonne Ma, visited HCGH, bringing three extra-large bags filled with Disney plush toys donated from a recent cast member toy drive held to benefit HCGH.
Disney asks globally what they can do to positively affect the lives of others and the headquarters in California directs stores to do monthly services projects. Each store initiates projects based on needs and “asks ourselves, what we can do for the community,” explains Jean Gaverth, a cast member from The Mall in Columbia location who serves as Chair and coordinates their store events. HCGH was proud to be the benefactor of their recent toy drive and the Howard Hospital Foundation was pleased to help coordinate the donation.
Return to Fall 2009 Good Works newsletter