After spending time at Silver Mesa, Peruvian Park, Neil Armstrong Academy and the Activity Day girls, I had LOTS of donations for Shriners hospital. The back of the car was full! Several boxes of great toys and books! A huge stack of cards! Gift Bags! and Blankets! I was so proud to represent all the wonderful youth who served with their talents and their resources to help make another child in the hospital have a brighter day!
My wonderful guy, Nick Nielson, joined me at Shriners and helped get all the donations into Shriners.
I was hoping to actually help deliver the toys and cards to the children, but due to privacy laws needed to leave them at the front desk. I was assured, however, that they would DEFINITELY be given to the children and put to great use. In fact, they expected to give them out that day!
I really didn't know much about Shriners hospital for children except that they provided service to children with no consideration as to whether or not the service can be paid for. I love that about Shriners! I also was so grateful to take the cards and donations to Shriners as I feel it is often overlooked as most service for children's hospitals in Utah goes to Primary Children's Hospital (don't get me wrong, I love Primary Children's hospital and volunteered there weekly for 6 months in 2013 and 2014).
Wow - did I learn a LOT about Shriners, however, from the personal tour they provided me! I didn't realize that the Shriners organization founded the hospitals in response to polio after WWII. I also learned how generous donors are to allow them to provide all the services they make available to patients. They have a beautiful facility. I didn't realize that they focus on orthopaedic conditions here in Salt Lake City. And, that they have many patients from out of state and from Mexico. (In fact, as we walked around the hospital, I met two children and their mother's from Mexico and had a chance to brush up on my spanish while speaking with them!).
I love that they have personalized, sized to fit prosthetics for the children and that they have custom, sized to fit wheel chairs for them as they grow.
As I am studying to be a nurse myself, I not only toured the facility thinking of the children and the great services provided, but also of the caregivers and the great love they have for children. I met many amazing caregivers on the tour!
Shriners is another organization to consider as you look for places to serve. I love that their mission for children "is carried out without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin or ability of a patient or family to pay."
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