In the News

Five Straight Years: 12-Year-Old Harlingen Girl Collects Donations, Toys for Children at Valley Baptist

HARLINGEN, Jan. 12, 2006  – For a 12-year-old, Lauren Elizabeth Bothwell of Harlingen has staying power. She recently completed her fifth straight year of collecting toys for hospitalized children -- and in the process set a new record for the amount of toys collected for the Children’s Center at Driscoll Children’s Hospital at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen.

In addition to the thousands of toys Lauren has collected, she has also proved a capable fund-raiser -- she has raised $6,400 for the Children’s Center, which will be used to purchase additional toys when “Lauren’s Toy Box” on Valley Baptist’s pediatric unit runs low of toys. At Valley Baptist, each child who is hospitalized gets to pick out a new toy to play with in the hospital -- and to take home when they are discharged. This helps make what can be a frightening experience more bearable for children -- and gives them something to think about besides their illness while they are in the hospital.

Lauren, who is the daughter of Dr. Tim and Heather Bothwell of Harlingen, began donating some of her own toys for hospitalized children when she was eight years old. She then asked her school classmates to donate toys and started what has become known as “Lauren’s Toy Box” at the Matt & Patty Gorges Children’s Center at Valley Baptist.

Lauren previously received a $2,500 award through “Land’s End’s Born Hero” National Contest and a $1,000 award through the “Kohl’s Kids Who Care” National Scholarship Contest in recognition of her community efforts to provide toys, games, books, videos, DVD’s, etc. for hospitalized children at Valley Baptist. The awards were donated to begin the toy box fund in Lauren’s name for the Children’s Center.

Lauren’s initial goal in starting Lauren’s Toybox was to begin a project that would make her “feel like a winner and change lives.” She thought of children who were in the hospital recovering from surgery or serious illness. She wanted to provide a toy -- something the children could hug or play with -- to help brighten their days in the hospital.

Although she will turn 13 and become a teenager in February, Lauren plans on continuing Lauren’s Toy Box -- and taking a leadership role in this major charity project for the community -- for years to come. For more information on how you can help Lauren keep Lauren’s Toy Box filled with toys for hospitalized children year round, please contact Katie McCarty of the Valley Baptist Foundation at (956) 389-1614 or by e-mail by clicking here.