Twelve members of the EMF FFA traveled to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha on Dec. 19 to deliver the gift cards they collected during their fifth annual drive.
The gift cards are to benefit the families and children awaiting organ donation.
The EMF students attended a presentation by Lisa Wallace-Spech of the University of Nebraska Medical Center demonstrating child life activities and how the hospital uses the group’s donations to provide support and normalcy to children and families before and throughout the transplant process.
“When providing families with the gift cards, I enjoy telling pediatric patients how a small community in Nebraska comes together to support transplant families,” Lisa Wallace-Spech said. “So many of the transplant families are far from their own families and communities. These generous gestures help them feel cared for during such a challenging time.”
“Our goal was to raise $2,000 in gift cards,” Miranda Hornung, FFA Co-Advisor said. “Our expectations were exceeded and we delivered $2,268 in gift card donations.”
The gift cards are awarded to children patients as prizes during bingo games, activities and also to help cheer up children who may have been in the hospital for months at a time and need a break. Parents are also presented gift cards to help brighten long days.
One thing that really stood out to the FFA chapter was the impact the donations make. Students were told about a mother dealing with so many heartbreaking issues with her child and that because of our gift card donations the staff at UNMC was able to give her a gift to help her have a break and take care of herself.
“In the moment the chapter was quiet and soaking in the information,” said Hornung. “But the conversations on the van ride back to Friend truly showed how meaningful this experience was for the students. It became very apparent that efforts made in their small community matter and that organ donation is not limited to any certain demographic. They heard from an 18 year-old organ recipient, the same age of some of the attendees, and realized this could be them.”
