Seventeen-year-old McKenzie Belcher wanted to do something for patients at the Children’s Hospital at St. Francis after being inspired by a family friend who started an organization (Spencer’s Treasures) that collected toys for children’s hospitals after her own son died.
By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer, Tulsa World
Belcher, a senior at Berryhill High School, called the hospital’s foundation and learned that the patients that needed the most help were those most like her – other teens.
“Our teenagers are one of our groups that get forgotten about,” said Sarah Sands, child life specialist at the children’s hospital. “They need that peer interaction.”
For Belcher’s project, Teen Treasures, she and her friends put large cardboard boxes covered in Christmas wrapping in classrooms at her high school, posted requests on social networks and also approached businesses and groups in her community for donations.
“We got a lot of great things. Had people donate money so we went shopping,” she said, which wasn’t hard for her and her friends. “I knew it was something I would have wanted.”
In a week’s time Belcher collected about 200 items worth about $1,000.
Sands said it’s more meaningful for the patients to know another teen did this for them.
“For McKenzie to do this has a huge effect,” she said. “For the teenagers to know that one of them cared enough to do a toy drive for them.”
The gifts, which are always in need, will now be distributed to teens on all the floors of the hospital.
“We hand toys out all year round. The need is not just at Christmas,” Sands said.
A lot of people don’t always consider teenagers when they’re thinking of donated toys to the children’s hospital, Belcher said.
“When they donate gifts they think of gifts for little kids, babies or toddlers,” she said. “Get things for 12-, 13-year-olds to 17-year-olds.”
Belcher said she hopes to continue the project next year, either at Berryhill High School again or wherever she is attending college.
“A lot of people told me I was going to make a difference this year,” she said. “You’re really bringing joy to their lives.”
(Published in Tulsa World, December 2011)
Below is a picture of Spencer and McKenzie (1998) when they were toddlers. Their Mothers Teresa Stockton and Suzanne Belcher have been friends since meeting their Freshman year in College.
