This is an exciting part of our philanthropy where the Ladies of Daughters of the Nile make, or purchase, items for the children in the Shriners Hospital for Children - Canada in Montreal. A group of Ladies make beautiful quilts decorated so that a little boy or girl would be delighted to receive one and when their stay is over at the hospital they take it home with them.
We also have a program which we call “Koins for Kids”. Each member with a pink piggy bank feeds their piggy with their extra change and when the piggy is full, they bring it in to Session. At our year-end the “Piggy” money, along with other donations made to the Hospital Request Account, is directed to either purchasing a special item for a specific patient (such as an adapted tricycle, a personal hygiene system, a bath lift, a wheelchair, etc.) or to a Transition Program which assists teenagers as they enter into society, or to Family Support which assists parents with meals and lodgings while their children are in the hospital.
A very important activity is the sewing of Pre-Op Dolls used by the Doctors and Nurses to explain the procedure to be performed. As each child receives their own Pre-Op Doll as he/she enters the hospital, there is always a constant need for more.
During the year, members are contributing items such as school supplies, tray favours, knitted items, toys, cameras, lap robes, etc. At Christmas when our Units have their Christmas parties each Lady attending is asked to bring a toy or a gift for a child in the hospital. We are reminded that it is not only little children that are in the hospital but also teenagers who also enjoy receiving special items such as books, gift certificates, CD's, etc. These items are then shipped to the Canadian Hospital in Montreal. The response from the administrators and staff of the hospitals assures us that our efforts are very much appreciated and light up a lot of small faces.