Girl Scouts Make ‘Toy Buckets’ for Pediatric Patients

The members of of Delaware County knew that they wanted to create a sustainable project that would not only help them to earn the Bronze Award – the highest honor a Junior Girl Scout can achieve – but also benefit the community.

By creating a series of buckets filled with various toys for children at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, they certainly achieved one of their goals.

Troop Leader Ruth Zimmerman worked with the fourth and fifth grade girls from Springfield, Ridley and Drexel Hill since the fall to develop a project that met the guidelines of the . Initially, the girls determined that they wanted to donate toys to a local hospital for children but also wanted to be creative with their project.

“They started thinking about how kids in hospital beds could play and what toys would work for them,” said Zimmerman, who has been with many of the girls since they joined the Girl Scouts in kindergarten.

By holding a pancake breakfast fundraiser at an Applebee's restaurant, money was raised and research was done by the troop on what age groups and what toys would be appropriate. After determining the age groups (0-2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, 8-12 and 12+), the troop broke off into groups of three and four and each group was responsible for the creation of one bucket.

Two buckets were created for each age group. Binders were also decorated with loose leaf paper inside for children who might prefer to draw or write. The buckets will be used by children in Crozer’s Pediatrics Unit as well as the Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center.

“I was really surprised with how much thought they put into the project. They really care about these children that they’ve never met before. It’s teaching them to help others from a young age,” Zimmerman said.

More than 15 members of the troop presented the buckets to hospital representatives on June 8. 

Press release provided by Crozer-Keystone Health Systems.