Girls' Gift Brings Smiles to UMC Pediatric Patients
Lauren Brannon and Elyssa Mendoza stopped by the UMC Pediatric Playroom to check out the new equipment and to write get-will wishes for the young patients. "Never give up!" they wrote. "Always believe in yourself."
Two fifth graders donated $1,500 to purchase new game tables for University Medical Center's Pediatric Playroom.
A $1,500 donation by two local girls helped buy new foosball and air hockey tables for the Pediatric Playroom at University Medical Center this month.
Fifth-grade buddies Lauren Brannon of Oro Valley and Elyssa Mendoza of Green Valley spent their summer collecting aluminum cans for recycling, eventually assembling "a stinky mountain" of soda-pop cans from friends and neighbors and earning $500 for their efforts. This amount was matched by Lauren's parents, J.R. and Karen Brannon, and an additional $500 was donated by Brannon's boss, James DeWitt of Robson Communities.
The girls donated their proceeds toward the purchase of new foosball and air hockey tables for the UMC Pediatric Playroom. Installed this month, the games already are in constant use by the hospital's young patients and their visiting friends and siblings, according to Vicki Began, UMC vice president of children's services.
"We are humbled by the generosity and initiative of these bright young girls," Began said. "Both of them knew kids who were patients here and realized how much these games mean to children stuck in the hospital. They will be a fabulous addition to the new Diamond Children's Medical Center we're building right now at UMC."
Lauren attends Copper Creek Elementary School in Oro Valley and Elyssa is a student at Anza Trail School in Sahuarita.
In November UMC announced plans to build Tucson's first children's hospital – Diamond Children's Medical Center – in honor of Tucson philanthropists Donald and Joan Diamond, who provided the lead gift of $15 million. The children's hospital is now under construction and is scheduled to in open in spring 2010.
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