North Bend 4-H and Cloverbuds Bring Joy to Bucktail Medical Center ER
By Autumn Gavlock
SOUTH RENOVO – The North Bend 4-H and Cloverbuds, along with organizational leader Midge Kramer and 4-H volunteers Keith Dorey and Mindy Bloom, recently made a special visit to Bucktail Medical Center’s Emergency Room. The group presented the ER staff with get-well cards and totes filled with toys, which will be handed out to children visiting the ER.
Over the past few weeks, Midge Kramer and Braylee Foley, Registration Manager and Purchasing Clerk, worked together to gather toys for the ER department. In addition to those purchased, Kramer reached out to an organization called Aly’s Monkey Movement, which generously donated five plush monkeys to add to the collection. These thoughtful gifts are meant to bring comfort and cheer to young patients during their time at Bucktail Medical Center.
Aly’s Monkey Movement, a movement that provides stuffed animal monkeys to children all over the world who may be experiencing a difficult time in their life, began in 2019 when Aly, in preparation for her tenth birthday, decided to forgo a party and gifts in favor of giving back to her community. She chose to collect donations to purchase as many plush monkeys as possible to give out to children around the world. Since then, the movement has grown and thrived, with Aly having donated over 7,000 monkeys, five of which made their way to the generous little town of Renovo, Pennsylvania. Once a child receives their monkey, they are invited to join the community at www.alysmonkeys.com to share a selfie with their new stuffed friend. Aly’s Monkey Movement provides these monkeys to children facing difficult times, such as hospitalization and illness, in the hopes of offering comfort and joy during their challenging moments. A beautifully similar mission to the North Bend 4-H and Cloverbud kiddos, creating a perfect match when co-partnering on this event.
Upon arrival, the group was greeted by Ms. Foley. “It was just the sweetest thing to see all these young faces; they were all so excited. When Midge brought the idea to me about a month ago, I just thought it was so wonderful!”
After a warm welcome between Midge, Foley, and the group, they made their way down the halls of the hospital to the cozy fireplace room, where they were met by Laura Shawley, the Director of Nursing for the ER. Shawley, herself a former patient of the ER, spoke with the children and shared insights into the importance of their donations. She then invited them to her office, where they enjoyed cookies and slushies, making the visit even more memorable.
This year’s theme for the 4-H group is “Community Service and Giving Back,” and the children are committed to helping wherever they can to make the community better. The group is already planning their next visit, which will be to see in-house physical therapy patients who are unable to return home.
Midge Kramer expressed that these visits are a source of great joy, noting, “Everyone loves to see the kids when they can’t go home quite yet.” The kids and adults alike had a fantastic time and are looking forward to their next opportunity to spread joy and make a difference.
If you or your child have questions about volunteering or getting involved in the fun offered by the North Bend 4-H & Cloverbud program, please don’t hesitate to contact Midge Kramer for more information. A heartfelt thank you to this group of community-minded young people and their advisors for all they do for our area.
