Love Creek Elementary students hold toy drive for children’s hospital

During the season of giving, students in the Love Creek Elementary Cape Accelerated Program jumped at the opportunity to collect toys for children and families who would be spending their holidays at Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington.

The hospital's Child Life Program helps patients adjust and cope with being in the hospital. It also aims to make their experience as positive as possible while they are staying there. The program helps them concentrate on being a kid, rather than being sick.

When CAP teacher Melissa Tuttle told her fourth- and fifth-graders about the opportunity to collect toys for the children in this program, her students were excited to get involved and quickly began organizing a toy drive.

"Nemours/A.I duPont Children's Hospital does so much for the children and families they are working with, including some of our own Love Creek families," said Tuttle. "This was a wonderful opportunity for our school community to give back, get involved and ultimately make a difference for others this holiday season."

Students, parents and staff all contributed to the toy drive that started Nov. 14. Donations included games, stuffed animals, arts and crafts, electronic toys and books. All items were required to be new and in the original packaging or with tags.

"We had boxes set up for donations throughout the building. To see them fill up so quickly was really heartwarming for me, and my students were thrilled as they saw more and more donations filling the boxes," said Tuttle.

The CAP students spent time during class to box up the toys. Tuttle dropped off the donations to the hospital Dec. 17.