Zoe’s Corner – Valentines for the Hospitalized

It has been a while since we have been able to do any projects or update you on ways you can help, but, seeing as though Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we got such a great response to our Valentine’s Day challenge last year, I thought I would share what we are doing this year and hopefully inspire you to do the same!

36 bags so far!

To bring smiles to kids in the Pediatrics Unit of our local hospital, Mikey’s Helping Place (via our 6-year-old, Zoe) is providing small goodie bags with personalized Valentine’s inside.  Zoe included handmade rainbow loom bracelets in most of the bags and also “sold” special order bracelets to my husband’s sweet co-workers in order to purchase extra treats for the bags.  So far, we have been able to provide 18 girl bags and 18 boy bags on A VERY SIMPLE BUDGET!  It’s amazing what a few dollars can do, especially when funds are tight!

Instead of giving specific addresses this year, I thought we would challenge our readers and supporters to join with us in donating Valentines or toys or any small gifts that you can put together to your local hospital.

Hospitals are always in need of little gifts to give to children for when they have procedures done, when they are bored, when they are scared, etc.  No gift is too small!  Even giving a new box of unused Valentines for a child to hand out to the nursing staff is a great idea and can be done for just $1.00 a box at many stores!

Here’s hoping all of our friends are inspired to get involved this year in any way that you can, be it Valentine’s Day or just any old Tuesday!

And please share your projects with us so that you can also inspire others!  We love to shine a spotlight on others who are doing great charity work!

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day 2014!

Thank You Side By Side Design!

We would like to recognize Tami, Lauren, and friends of Side By Side Design (you may remember them from our post about the Side By Side Card Challenge) for the shipment of beautiful, handmade birthday cards for critically ill and hospitalized children. Each card sent is completely unique and I know they will be truly appreciated by each child that receives one.

just a sampling of the cards!

Thank you so much ladies!  We appreciate your hard work and much-appreciated contribution to Mikey’s Helping Place!  Please check out Side By Side Design to see better pictures of all of the awesome cards.

**We always welcome donations of cards, stamps, or toys for hospitalized and sick children so if you would be interested in helping, please contact us at mikeyandzoe@comcast.net**

A Special Charity Project From Zoe’s Corner: The Side By Side Design 200 Cards Challenge

working together side by side, we can reach our goal!

We were recently contacted by Lauren and Tami, of Side By Side Design, who are working on a special project to help us continue our Operation Smile outreach.  As they are about to reach their 200th blog post on Side By Side Design, they have set a goal of making 200 handmade cards specifically for Operation Smile.  They need your help, though.  If you would like to assist them in reaching this goal (or exceeding it), please check out their latest blog post for the information.

The lovely ladies at Side By Side Design

We are always grateful for any cards or stamps sent our way as it makes it so much easier to forward them to the sick kids immediately upon request.  We would also love to team up with our local Children’s Hospital to get these cards to the children as they are admitted to the pediatric ward.  200 cards will make so many families happier as they are going through a tough time so please help us spread the word about this fantastic and easy charitable opportunity.

For more information regarding the Side By Side card challenge or Operation Smile in general, you can email either Tami and Lauren at sidebyside.design@yahoo.com or us at mikeyandzoe@comcast.net.

Thank you in advance for helping these ladies (and us!) on such an important endeavor.

Thank You

We just wanted to say THANK YOU again to all of our friends who sent cards out for our Operation Smile Valentine’s Day!  We heard from many of the families personally, saying how much the children enjoyed receiving their cards and gifts.  We can’t do what we do without the support of people like you.  So, THANK YOU for helping us make children smile!!!  We appreciate your kindness as much as the children do!

**We look forward to posting a new list in the very near future**

Operation Smile: Valentine’s Edition

We are reposting our list of children who would like to receive cards, with a few new names added just in time for Valentine’s Day.  Please help us make these special kids smile!

Baylee Wheeler, 5 years old (Isolated NK Cell Deficiency) – 2022 E. 619, Jamestown, KY  42629. 

Jillian Miller, 3 years old (Leukemia) – 737 E. 22nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Miracles for Michaela, 9 years old (Addison’s Disease) – c/o Julie Swindle, 145 C.R. 463, Jonesboro, Arkansas  72404.

Hope for Kiera, 4 years old (ALL) – 14 B Lloshire Path, Palm Coast, FL 32164.

Parker Zimmerle, 6 years old (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) – 31531 Linder Road, Lot 67, Denham Springs, LA  70726.

Sebastian Major, 11 years old (Neuroblastoma) – P.O. Box 198, Savoy, IL 61874.

Prince Enriquez, 8 months old (pulmonary artresia) – P.O. Box 225911, Dallas, TX  75222.

Danny Solis, 16 years old (T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma) – 929 E. Ferguson, Visalia, CA  93292.

Eddie Livingston, 4 years old (Neuroblastoma) – Ronald McDonald House, 405 E. 73rd St., Rm. 403, NY, NY  10021.

Edie Gale Smith, 8 years old (Brain tumor) – c/o Chum Creek Primary School, 705 Chum Creek Road, Healesville, Victoria 3777 Australia.

Trinitie Lunsford, 11 years old (Brain tumor) – 102 Belton Drive, Dothan, Alabama 36305.

Preston Redman, 4 years old (Rhabdomyosarcoma) – 3160 Parfait Place, Acworth, GA 30101.

Cameron Pounders, 8 years old (Muscular Dystrophy) – 33525 Duff Rd., Walker, LA 70785.

Don’t forget to keep checking our Operation Smile posts to learn about new children who would love to receive cards!  

**We would like to keep updating this list often, so if you know a child or family that could use a card, please let us know!*

Operation Smile – January 2013 Edition

Help Us Brighten A Child’s Day!

Here are more addresses for children that would love to receive a card from you! Please help us brighten their day!

Baylee Wheeler, 5 years old (Isolated NK Cell Deficiency) – 2022 E. 619, Jamestown, KY  42629.

Jillian Miller, 3 years old (Leukemia) – 737 E. 22nd Street, Indianapolis, IN  46202.

Miracles for Michaela, 9 years old (Addison’s Disease) – c/o Julie Swindle, 145 C.R. 463, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72404.

Hope for Kiera, 4 years old (ALL) – 14 B Loshire Path, Palm Coast, FL  32164.

Parker Zimmerle, 6 years old (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) – 31531 Linder Road, Lot 67, Denham Springs, LA 70726

 Sebastian Major, 11 years old (Neuroblastoma) – P.O. Box  198, Savoy, IL  61874 

Prince Enriquez, 8 months old (pulmonary artresia) –  P.O. Box 225911, Dallas, TX  75222

 

 

Don’t forget to keep checking our Operation Smile posts to learn about new children who would love to receive cards!  Hope you are all having a wonderful new year!

**We would like to keep updating this list often, so if you know a child or family that could use a card, please let us know!*

Operation Smile: Valentine’s Edition!

Help make a child smile!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here are more addresses for children that would love to receive a card from you! Please help us brighten their day!

Siena Hernandez (ALL) – 816 36th Avenue Ct., Greeley, CO  80634

Ryan’s Therapy Help – 3803 Ferguson St., Sarasota, FL  34233.

Seth Denton (kidney cancer) – 33470 SW Chinook PLaza PMB 129, Scappoose, OR  97056

Braxton Nelson (lymphoma) – 811 2nd St., Milford, NE  68405.

Emma Routh (fanconi anemia) – 11176 Country Road 4345, Larue, TX  75770.

Emily Labrecque (brain cancer) – PO Box 96, East Sebago, ME  04029.

Victoria Feldman (medulloblastoma) – 301 Walnut Ridge East, Pottstown, PA 19464.

Allie DeCiccio (ALL) – C/O Prayers For Allie, P.O.Box 428, Clinton, Ct 06413.

Keegan Womack (ALL) – C/O Prayers For Keegan. P.O.Box 254, Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670.

Also, don’t forget to check our other Operation Smile posts for our previous lists of children who would still love to receive new cards!  Hope you are all having a wonderful new year!

**We would like to keep updating this list often, so if you know a child or family that could use a card, please let us know!**

Our First Featured Child of 2012: Ryan!

Ryan!

This week’s featured child is 16-year-old, Ryan.

Ryan has been diagnosed with numerous medical conditions including Autism, Dubowitz Syndrome, Hydrocephalus, Congestive Heart Failure and Chairi Malformation1.

Despite his numerous medical issues, Ryan continues to thrive and is able to courageously battle each obstacle that comes his way.  Many of his medical conditions have proven to be life-threatening over the years, but this young man is a conqueror.

Please pray for Ryan and his family, which includes 3 sisters and 1 brother, as they help Ryan with his continued therapy and daily life.  And, take the time to visit his Facebook Page to say hello and to learn more about this sweet boy and his progress.  There is also a link on the page for donations for Ryan’s Fund, with 100% going to Ryan’s Therapy expenses and necessary equipment.

We will be adding Ryan to our next Operation Smile list, but if you would like to get a head start and send him a cheery card now, you can send it to:

Ryan

c/o Ryan’s Therapy Help
3803 Ferguson St.
Sarasota, FL  34233

**If you know a child or charity that would like to be featured, please let us know at mikeyandzoe@comcast.net or on our Facebook page**

This Week’s Featured Child: Bella Martinez!

Another Beautiful Bella!

This week’s feature is 14-year-old Bella Martinez, a young lady currently battling liver disease.

We learned about Bella from Bella’s mother, Tanya, who told us how special Bella is and how she is always the first one to help with her 3 younger siblings, one of whom is also battling neuroblastoma and leukocephalopathy.

Bella always puts others first, but right now Bella is the one that needs encouragement.  Next week she will be having surgery in a town 7 hours away from her home; her 3rd liver biopsy this year.

Let’s all take the time to send Bella cheerful cards and remind her of how special she is to both her family and others! Her address is 1213 SW 9th, Amarillo, TX 79101.

And, please don’t forget to pray for Bella and her family during this time!

**If you know a child or charity that would like to be featured, please let us know at mikeyandzoe@comcast.net or on our Facebook page**

Operation Smile, Holiday Edition

Here are some new names for our Operation Smile list and just in time for the holiday season!  Please take the time to send these children a cheery card!

• Joshua Edmondson (rare bone marrow disease, crohns disease, and blau syndrome) – ‎2006 bent bow cove cedar park, tx 78613
• Starla Chapman (leukemia) – USA Childrens & Womens Hospital, C/O Starla Chapman Rm. #511-512, 1700 Center St., Mobile, AL. 36604
• Kipton’s Krew (leukemia) – P.O. Box 304, Eagle, NE  68347
• Bella Rodriguez-Torres (rhabdomyosarcoma) – c/o Kim Rodriguez-Torres, 8092 NW 109 Lane, Parkland, FL 33076
• Davein VanDyke (leukemia) – P.O. Box 29072, Denver, CO 80229
• L J Clawson (leukemia) – P.O. Box 387, Waynesville, GA  31566
• Kira Bailey (cancer) –  W. 3879 Court Rd., Chilton, WI 53014
• MyKenzie Grace Carro (newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome) – Children’s Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Ave, 8 south CICU, Boston, Ma 02115
• Ryan Kitchen (St. Jude’s child) – 1811 Poplar Ave., Target House 2, Rm 315, Memphis, TN  38104
• Bella Martinez (liver disease) – 1213 SW 9th, Amarillo, TX 79101
• Thomas Sullivan (brain tumor) – Children’s Hospital, 1600 7th Avenue, Room 688, Birmingham, Alabama 35233

Also, don’t forget to check our other Operation Smile posts for our previous lists of children who would still love to receive new cards!  Have a wonderful December!

**We would like to keep updating this list often, so if you know a child or family that could use a card, please let us know!**