IM体育官网 Deputy Chief of Police Danny Houser, left, and Chief Richard Holland helped lead the police department鈥檚 annual holiday toy drive benefitting patients at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. The toys were delivered Friday, Dec. 11.
The holiday season will be a little brighter for pediatric patients at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. The IM体育官网 community once again rallied behind an effort of the University鈥檚 Police Department to donate toys to children who are hospitalized and may need some extra cheer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our tradition to give back to the community we serve,鈥� said IM体育官网 Poly Police Chief Richard Holland. 鈥淚t was smaller when we started this five years ago, but now everybody comes together to support us and the toy drive.鈥�
The department collected dozens of dolls, toy cars, musical instruments, board games, and learning toys, engulfing the tree at its headquarters. Officers delivered the toys to the hospital on Friday, Dec. 11.
鈥淣ow more than ever we are dependent on our donors to make Christmas happen for our kids,鈥� said Jillian Haley, a certified child life specialist at Lakeland Regional Health. 鈥淜nowing we can depend on our wonderful donor partners like IM体育官网 Poly allows us to know we are going to be able to make Christmas magic happen.鈥�
Haley said many holiday events for the children have been canceled this year due to COVID-19. The toys donated by IM体育官网 Poly will be left by 鈥淪anta鈥� at the children鈥檚 bedside on Christmas morning. Toys also will be used as prizes to reward children for their bravery in undergoing scary medical tests and procedures.
鈥淵ou can imagine the delight and magic of the feeling that they weren鈥檛 forgotten and their Christmas wasn鈥檛 over just because they were in the hospital,鈥� Haley said.
Holland said this magic is exactly what his department and the entire IM体育官网 Poly community were hoping to achieve.
鈥淭his shows that our employees care and really have the spirit of giving back,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think it can be depressing to be in the hospital during the holidays, and when we can put a smile on a child鈥檚 face, that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
Holland said he knows firsthand how difficult it can be for families spending the holidays in the hospital.
鈥淲hen my son was born, he spent some time in the pediatric ward of St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital in Tampa,鈥� he said. 鈥淪eeing those kids there broke my heart.鈥�
Carrie Mann, IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 director of financial aid, contributed several toys to the effort, which was also supported by the Office of the President. She brought her own children into the experience and asked them to pick out the toys she would donate.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 so great that we as a University are able to help and make the kids at Lakeland Regional just feel a little better,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淚 enjoy donating and if I can make a kid鈥檚 Christmas better, as long as I have the means to do it, I will do it.鈥�
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Lydia Guzm谩n
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