Honesdale, PA – The stock of gifts for patients at Wayne Memorial Hospital (WMH) hit the jackpot last week with three separate donations from local communities. 

Linda Taft of Hawley delivered several bags filled with handmade ‘boo-boo’ comfort pillows, stuffed animals, and baby blankets. The retired nurse also sewed several adult bibs, and bags for residents’ walkers at Wayne Woodlands Manor.

Tina Ross of Milford was so inspired to make Jared Boxes for young patients, she shared the idea with friends and they joined in. “Some went shopping, some opened their wallet. It really touched my heart,” she explained. Her effort didn’t stop there. A restaurant in Dingmans Ferry and a music studio in Milford collected items too. With the help of her friend’s children, the Barrows, they assembled 37 boxes. 

Next up, the Salem Community Church in Hamlin delivered 24 Jared Boxes for pediatric patients. They have made it a regular bi-annual activity so that young patients and their parents can be occupied during a potentially stress filled day at the hospital.  

Jared Boxes are named for Jared McMullen, a central Pennsylvania boy diagnosed with an incurable brainstem tumor in 1999. He always carried a backpack with toys and games to his appointments and shared them with other children. He died in November 2000. To honor Jared, his classmates created boxes filled with toys and games for pediatric patients and that helped inspire a movement of over a million boxes to hospitals nationwide. To learn more about Jared Boxes go to TheJaredBoxProject.com.