Kids Helping Kids

Eliana Reyes, Peyton Wilson and Chloe Gomez love to read and so do their friends. Recently, the fourth graders at Kinnikinnick School, in Roscoe, IL, near Rockford, turned that passion into a project. 

The idea began simply enough, by making bookmarks. 

"After we made some bookmarks at lunch, says Eliana Reyes, I said we should do a book drive. So. we asked the librarian, Ms. Williams, about it and she said you need to get permission from Mr. Newmes, the principal, first."

"So, we went and we pledged our idea and he said he loved it, says Peyton Wilson. So, then we decided we would go class to class talking about the book drive and what we were going to be doing, and so we had a little box in the office, kind of for the kids to drop off." 

Chloe Gomez added, "And we each, we all made a speech together and we each had our own part to tell in each class".

Thanks to the enthusism and passion of the young ladies and the genersity of their fellow classmates, more than 1,000 books were donated to OSF Healthcare Saint Anthony Medical Center for our pediatric patients.

Ann Williams, Manager, Obstetrics/Pediatrics, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, says "It really shows their generous spirit and helping understand that, you know, there's kids in the hospital that are going through things that they maybe have gone through or haven't gone through, but there's an understanding and empathy there." 

We are both impressed and very grateful to Eliana, Peyton and Chloe for the passion and poise they demonstrated in helping the OSF Mission of serving with the greatest care and love.

So, what's next for these soon-to-be-fifth graders? They mentioned a food drive or, perhaps, another book drive. Whatever their decision, we know it will be another big success.