Help a Child Smile Through Operation Scribble 2020

At first, official "dad" of Crayons4Kids, Dr. Michael Leinwand of Bronson Hospital, and I were going to pull the plug on WRKR's annual Operation Scribble. Normally we would gather for twelve straight hours, broadcasting all day our interviews with the hospital staff that see the importance of hospitalized children being gifted with toys, activities, and treats to help them pass the time and make a scary situation palatable. But in 2020,It was just too risky asking people to come together. We didn't want to shelve the event, but it just seemed too big to go virtual. But Amber Schidecker, volunteer with Crayons4Kids and former Crayons4Kids recipient, wasn't going to see a year pass without this wonderful event. So in spite of the pandemic, we forge ahead with a very different Operation Scribble.

This year, like years in the past, monetary donations can be made through their website or Facebook page, but instead of a twelve-hour marathon of collecting toys, crayons, coloring books, and more, this year Crayons4Kids partnered with the Bronson Health Foundation to accept your donations today at Bronson Advanced Radiology at 524 South Park Street between 4:00pm and 6:00pm. Just have your new, unwrapped donations in your trunk or backseat, and a volunteer will collect them straight from your car.

Dr. Michael Leinwand joined the morning show on WRKR to talk about the humble beginnings of how his young children started Crayons4Kids:

Matt and Emily were five and six years old. The year was 2001. And they would follow me around on rounds on the weekends because they missed their dad and this was just some time we could be together... and the one thing they noticed is how sad the kids were. They had nothing to play with. They had nothing to do. And they really took it upon themselves to say 'Hey, we can do something about this. Let's bring them coloring books.' That's how it started. Crayons and coloring books. Starting with a small box at our front door. They told our relatives, and they told the mailman, and they told their Girl Scout Troop, they told people 'Hey, come over and when you do, drop some things off in the box and we will bring it on rounds with our dad on the weekends.' And that's how it all began.

But your donations help more than just the children. They help bring peace of mind to their families, as well. Amber Shidecker began volunteering with Crayons4Kids after her own son, Landon, needed to be hospitalized.

Landon, who is now nine, was only three months old when he was diagnosed with hirschsprung's disease. We were the hospital for quite a long time. He had to have an operation. Every day that we were there we were brought in packages of stuff. And we already had our three-year-old, and we were even brought in stuff for him. And this was all brought specifically from Crayons 4 Kids. So I wanted to be a part of that charity and that organization that brought so much to my kids, and now my kids are part of it as well.

You, too can be a part of Crayons4Kids by donating to Operation Scribble. If we all give a little, we'll have a lot, so give until it feels good.

Ways to donate: