WARWICK, NY (December 21) – Commercial greeting cards often take a back seat when the creative hands and minds of children express themselves.
Jean Thomasberger, director of PAK Kids (Park Avenue Kids) was teaching the children in her before-and-after-school program at Park Avenue Elementary School how to create their own Christmas and Holiday greeting cards when she realized their project could bring much joy to others.
"At first I learned that handmade cards were being sent to injured soldiers, recovering in VA hospitals," she said," And so we sent out about 30 of our cards to them. But then I spoke to Anita Sultana, the nurse manager in the Medical Surgical Department at St. Anthony Community Hospital, and we thought it would also be a good idea to give cards out to patients at the hospital this week."
Thomasberger stated that the children were very creative with their artwork, drawing different designs and pictures celebrating the holiday season. Some even produced three-dimensional art in the true spirit of creativity and individualism.
"Thinking of our patients is a wonderful thing," said Sultana, "and Jean and her team should be commended for instilling in children at this age this incredible sense of community and giving during this holiday season. Some of these patients do not have family visiting them due to distance and these cards will go a long way in cheering them up."
About St. Anthony Community Hospital, a Member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network
For over 75 years, St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick, New York, has been serving the residents of Orange County, New York and New Jersey's Sussex and Passaic Counties with outstanding and compassionate care. The 60-bed hospital has been a primary resource for emergency, medical, surgical, obstetrical/gynecological and acute care services. Also on campus is the Mount Alverno Center, a state-approved adult home with an assisted living program serving 85 residents, and Schervier Pavilion a 120-bed, skilled nursing facility dedicated to the highest standard of healthcare excellence. For more information about
St. Anthony Community Hospital, Mount Alverno Center and Schervier Pavilion, visit
BSCHS.BonSecours.com or follow the facilities at
Facebook.com/BSCHS or
Twitter.com/BSCHS.
About Westchester Medical Center Health Network
The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,500-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, NY, spanning seven hospitals and several campuses and locations in the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 10,000 people, with nearly 3,000 attending physicians. From Level 1 and Level 2 Trauma Centers, the region's only acute care children's hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals and numerous health-related centers, programs and services, today WMCHealth is the leading and pre-eminent provider of integrated health in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit
www.WMCHealth.org
Jean Thomasberger, director of PAK Kids (Park Avenue Kids) was teaching the children in her before and after school program at Park Avenue Elementary School how to create their own Christmas and Holiday greeting cards when she realized their project could bring much joy to others.
Adults pictured with some of the children are from left, Jean Thomasberger, director of PAK Kids, staff members Marilyn Schmidlin and Dawn Trone and Anita Sultana, nurse manager in the Medical Surgical Department at St. Anthony Community Hospital.
PAK Kids staff member Karen Laiso was not available for the photograph