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Caitlin’s Smiles and Border’s August Book Drive for Children in Hospitals
Beginning August 1, Border’s, Border’s
Express and Walden customers in south central Pennsylvania will be encourage to donate new children’s books and music
to benefit Caitlin’s Smiles and the hospitalized children they serve. All
five regional Borders Books and Music stores, as well as nine other Borders-owned stores throughout Lancaster, Reading, York,
Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Lebanon, Lehigh Valley, Hanover, Pottsville, Pottstown and Frackville are collecting books, journals
and music. Caitlin’s Smiles delivers books, journals and craft kits to children who are chronically and terminally ill
in area hospitals.
This annual Borders humanitarian effort, which
runs in stores through the entire month of August, is in support this year of the Dauphin-based charity, Caitlin's Smiles.
Caitlin's Smiles was named for Caitlin Mary Hornung, a young child who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor
in 1997 and passed in October of 2000. Founded and directed by Caitlin's mother, Cheryl Hornung, Caitlin's Smiles' mission
is to help put smiles on the faces of children facing chronic or life-threatening conditions by encouraging them to focus
upon creative arts and writing activities to boost their confidence and self-worth. Their topmost goal is to provide young
patients with "Bag of Smiles" Creative Art Care Packages which will promote activities such as drawing, creating writing and
sculpting. Hospital staff will distribute the packages while children are hospitilized or while they are waiting for lengthy
treatments. Each "Bag of Smiles" is age and gender-specific and is brightly decorated by children and adult volunteers. All
of the afore-mentioned Borders stores are serving as supply drop-off points throughout August.
To assist customers with finding the right books
to donate, Borders and Waldenbooks, with the help of Caitlin’s Smiles, will select and design in store displays full
of children’s books for customers to choose from. Customers can simply
pick books and music from the display, take them to the registers and let the cashier know that they would like to donate
them. Customers are also welcome to choose their favorite age appropriate children’s
books or music and donate that as well. Borders and Waldens will then give the
books and music to Caitlin’s Smiles. The book drive is set to end August
31.
In
addition to offering its store as a gathering place for customer donations, Borders and Waldens will donate five percent of its total sales* from the purchase of the books donated by its customers
between August 1 and August 31 to Caitlin’s Smiles. Caitlin’s Smiles will then use these funds to purchase additional arts and craft supplies for children in hospitals. Please call or visit your local store for additional details and a complete list
of book titles. You'll hear and see promotion
on WITF-FM 89.5, WITF-TV and witf.org for a special partnership.
Copy
of an email from
Mitzi Trostle, Director of Radio
WITF-FM 89.5, Your Classical Music & NPR News
Station
Hi
everyone. I'd like to share a longish, but important email with you.
Starting tomorrow July
21, 2007, you'll begin to hear and see promotion on WITF-FM 89.5, WITF-TV and witf.org for a special partnership the
radio station has formed with all five regional Borders Books and Music stores, as well as nine other Borders-owned
stores throughout Lancaster, Reading, York, Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Lebanon, Lehigh Valley, Hanover, Pottsville, Pottstown
and Frackville.
The annual Borders humanitarian
effort, which runs in stores through the entire month of August, is in support this year of the Dauphin-based charity, Caitlin's
Smiles. Caitlin's Smiles was named for Caitlin Mary Hornung, a young child who was diagnosed with a malignant
brain tumor in 1997 and passed in October of 2000. Founded and directed by Caitlin's mother, Cheryl Hornung, Caitlin's
Smiles' mission is to help put smiles on the faces of children facing chronic or life-threatening conditions
by encouraging them to focus upon creative arts and writing activities to boost their confidence and self-worth. Their
topmost goal is to provide young patients with "Bag of Smiles" Creative Art Care Packages which will promote activities such
as drawing, creating writing and sculpting. Hospital staff will distribute the packages while children are hospi tilized
or while they are waiting for lengthy treatments. Each "Bag of Smiles" is age and gender-specific and is brightly decorated
by children and adult volunteers. (Our own Kimilie Pugh's beautiful twins, Teri and Peri, have decorated bags for critically-ill
children!) All of the afore-mentioned Borders stores are serving as supply drop-off points throughout August.
Each "Bag of Smiles" Creative
Art Care Package contains:
* Two individual arts
and craft kits
* One drawing activity
* One creative writing
journal
* One sculpting/modeling
clay
* Assorted other fun surprises
including handcrafted cards for patients
The staff of WITF-FM 89.5 will
broadcast Weekend America live from the Harrisburg Borders store from 1-3pm, Saturday, 4 August. At that time,
we'll encourage our listeners to drop by the store and make donations. Children will also be there with us decorating
bags and assembling the packages. A representative from Borders, as well as Caitlin's mother, Cheryl, will join
us on the air.
PLEASE tell everyone you know
about this. Maybe encourage your church family, your volunteer group or other friends and family members to
visit local Borders stores throughout the month of August and purchase or drop off supplies.
Here is the Top 15 "Bags
of Smiles" Wish List:
* Crayons/markers/colored
pencils
* Drawing pads
* Coloring or activity
books
* Model Magic/clay/PlayDoh,
etc.
* Writing Journals
* Ink or gel pens
* Foam cutouts & door
hangers
* Glue
* Beads and necklace string
* Colored pipe cleaners/
pom poms
* Stickers
* Bookmarks (foam or paper
cutouts)
* Craft sticks
* Foam or felt sheets
of paper
* Card stock paper, envelopes
and stamps
* Any other craft supplies
I'd like to thank Kathleen for giving
her blessing which allowed us to enter into this partnership with Borders. Also, many thanks to Michelle Brode,
our Borders rep, Juliana Wood (who has also become a great chum of mine and TOTALLY ROCKS!) and, of course, the biggest thanks goes
to Caitlin's Mom, Cheryl. Cheryl channeled her heartache into this amazing organization and Caitlin lives
on to bring pleasure into the lives of suffering children and their families.
Look for promotion in
all Borders stores and on their website. Also, PLEASE check out www.caitlins-smiles.org for more about this wonderful, local organization and other ways you can help.
One last thing ... I'd like
to encourage you all to visit Borders drop-off points throughout August, but if you think you can't get there,
please feel free to use me or any radio staff member as your drop-off point. I'll make sure that our friends at Borders
receive your donations.
Thanks so very much. Let's
all send out thanks to our friends at Borders and our wishes for peace and blessings to Cheryl Hornung.
See you at Borders!
Mitzi
Mitzi Trostle, Director of Radio
WITF-FM 89.5, Your Classical Music & NPR News
Station
4801 Lindle Road
Harrisburg, PA 17111
Tollfree: 1-800-FON-WITF, x2911
Direct Dial: 717-910-2911
FAX: 717-704-3624
Highmark’s employees in Central PA Regional Markets aid children with life-threatening
illnesses. Employees made more than 1,000 craft bags that will be distributed
to children in Pennsylvania hospitals by Caitlin's Smiles. Many children with life-threatening or chronic illnesses have to
spend long periods of time at children's hospitals located hours away from home, away from friends, families and school.
Hospitalization is especially traumatic
for children, and being cooped up in a hospital room is not only boring, but is a constant reminder of their illness. Helping
Caitlin's Smiles recently, 127 employees in Highmark’s Central PA Regional Markets, led by Michael Fiaschetti, senior
vice president, Mid Atlantic Region, made more than 1,000 "Bag of Smiles" creative art care packages that were distributed
to hospitalized children to help take their minds off of their illnesses. The "Bag of Smiles" care packages were assembled
for Caitlin's Smiles, a non-profit organization whose mission is "to put smiles on the faces of children facing chronic or
life-threatening conditions by encouraging them to focus upon creative arts activities to boost their confidence and self-worth."
"This was an extremely worthwhile project for me and for all of the employees who participated," said Fiaschetti. "This was
a great team-building exercise that also fit in with Highmark's mission of caring and giving. The most important and gratifying
aspect of this activity was that we were able to brighten the holidays for many children throughout the region." Central PA
Regional Markets completed the project on Dec. 14. The bags were distributed to hospitals by Caitlin's Smiles. "We were able to have our entire division work together for an afternoon during our semiannual all-staff
meeting," said Fiaschetti. "We decided that the best team-building exercise would be one that benefited our employees and
a charitable cause like Caitlin's Smiles."
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| Highmark employees make craft bags for Caitlin's Smiles! |
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| Sunday School class at Zion Lutheran Church in Dauphin |
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| Church member is shown entertaining her bear before it goes to Harrisburg Hospital. |
Bears were collected by the Sunday School class at Zion
Lutheran Church in Dauphin during the month of December. The idea to share love in a different way was started by Pastor
Randy Barr - so the parishioners started sharing bears. The church collected, blessed and sent 93 bears to the
Caitlin's Smiles Program where they will be shared with sick children in local hospitals. For more information on Caitlin's
Smiles, please call 921-9092. Caitlin's Smiles is one of the area's ministries housed at Zion Lutheran Church in Dauphin.
Recent Events
In the spirit of giving students at South Mountain Elementary
in Dillsburg contributed craft items  to Caitlin's Smiles for the 2006 holiday season! They collected over 20 large boxes stuffed with arts and craft
supplies! They also donated gift cards and a check for more supplies! Thanks so much for all their help!
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