Spreading Christmas joy to Dayton Children's Medical Center

  • Published
  • By Capt. John T. Stamm
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The hospital isn't normally a place that a child wants to be, especially around Christmas. Instead of waiting on Santa to slide down the chimney bearing presents and filling stockings, they settle for nurses bearing medicine and hope for the answer to their only question: "When can I go home?"

The Airmen of the 445th Airlift Wing's 87th Aerial Port Squadron refuse to let a hospital stay put a damper on the Christmas spirit of patients at Dayton Children's Medical Center. For more than 20 years they have been putting smiles on faces with gifts, hugs and get-well wishes.

On Dec. 16, the 87th APS continued the tradition when 31 volunteers from the unit delivered more than 500 gifts, including 10 new Huffy bicycles, to dozens of children currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

"It's our way of giving back," said Lt. Col. John M. Marang, 87th APS commander. "A lot of these kids are hurting right now, and we want to take some of that hurt away and make these kids smile."

The Dayton Children's Medical Center provides quality health care for children from infancy through adolescence regardless of their economic status. They offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient diagnosis and treatment in an emotionally supportive setting for patients and their families.

Karen Muller is the child life manager at the facility. She believes the visit from Airmen enhances treatment.

"When children are hospitalized it's stressful for the whole family," Muller said. "Anytime you can make a child smile or feel better it aids their recovery."

The 87th begins taking donations from within the unit approximately two months prior to Christmas. They focus on the children who are hospitalized long-term, but always have more than enough gifts to go around. This year, the Beavercreek Walmart provided a boost with a gift of $300 and the Huffy Bicycle Company of Centerville, Ohio, added 50 bicycles.

"These kids really just want to go home," said Bethany Deines, director of annual gifts at the hospital. "We try to make their stay here as pleasant for them as possible. The visit from the Air Force and the gifts make their stay a little more enjoyable."

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