Baring His Heart – One local boy pays his good fortune forward
On his 13th birthday, Santa Clarita resident Jase Draper looked at his haul: money, cards and gifts from his family and friends. He had a wonderful party and was feeling good – inspired, even. So he took another look at his birthday money, and decided to pay it forward. With his moms help, Jase cashed in his birthday money for as many stuffed teddy bears as he could buy and headed to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.
“I received a delivery of 144 teddy bears,” said Maria Strmsek, who is heading up Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital’s Donate a Bear Drive, along with élite Magazine’s Amanda Benson. Each year, community members donate new plush toys for children who go through the ER; in past years, the drive has collected thousands of stuffed toys.
When Jase dropped the bears off at the hospital, he knew it was all worth it.
“I feel so good right now,” Jase said. “I hope this will make the kids feel better, too.”
Proud mother Kirstin Draper was hoping that would happen.
“He felt so good giving and helping someone else,” she said.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital accepts new plush toy donations year-round at the Volunteers Pavillion on the hospital campus. For more information, please call Director of Volunteers Maria Strmsek at 661-200-1500.
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