ASHLAND — The holiday season is a wonderful time for celebrating joy and family, but for many children, it can also be difficult.
Ashland resident Tyler Slaven and his sister, Monica Heath, are celebrating 10 years this holiday season with their annual toy drive for children at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“We chose nationwide Children’s Hospital of Columbus because we had heard so many amazing stories about them,” Monica said. “The staff are excellent and go above and beyond to help the kids. Almost every person that we have talked to has a personal connection to the hospital, whether that be through a family member or because they were there themselves.
“It was really important to us to find a place that didn’t look at the kids as just a number and Nationwide Children’s Hospital of Columbus was that place.
Tyler and Monica started the toy drive in 2015 when Tyler was a freshman and Monica was a senior at Ohio Virtual Academy.
“It was a special year because it was the first and only year we were in high school together,” Monica said. “We knew we wanted to do something special.
“After much thought, we decided to launch a toy drive benefiting Nationwide Children’s Hospital of Columbus for the kids in the hospital during Christmas.”
Tyler and Monica said they both grew up hearing telethons on the radio about children in the hospital struggling and that stuck with them.
“When we were trying to come up with ideas, those stories kept popping up in our minds and it was then that we decided that we wanted to try to bring a smile to as many kids as possible that would be in the hospital over Christmas,” Monica stated.
Tyler and Monica have been able to eclipse 100,000 toys donated in their decade of giving.
“It feels amazing to be a part of something that has such a positive impact!” Monica said. “It has surpassed any vision that we had when we first started, we never dreamt that the toy drive would have been able to reach so many kids.”
Tyler and Monica have been able to expand their cause and get the community more involved. Their families have even turned it into a tradition.
“My husband and I have two young daughters who are now involved with the toy drive as well,” Monica said. “It has become a multi-generational tradition for our family. We hope that as our family continues to grow, so does the toy drive.”
This toy drive has created moments they both hold dear to their heart.
“One that Tyler and I often bring up is a little girl that we saw while being a part of a Santa Day event we collaborated with,” she said.
Monica shared how the little girl had asked her parents why Monica and Tyler were collecting toys. After her parents had explained the cause, the little girl pulled out a couple of dollars from her pocket and stated she wanted to help the kids in the hospital because they needed it more than she did.
The image of that little girl handing over her money has stayed with Monica and Tyler ever since.
“Her selflessness reminds us that no donation, or donor, is too small to make a difference, and it was just so special that she wanted to help us,” Monica stated.
Monica and Tyler shared that they hope this toy drive will inspire others to do something for their community.
“In a world with so much negativity, we feel that together we can make a difference if we can all work on doing something positive. Sometimes, it is the simplest things that can make a difference in someone’s life and that is something special,” she said.
“We appreciate everyone who has and continues to help with the toy drive! Know that we couldn’t do it without you. We hope that the toy drive will inspire others to make a difference in their community.”
There are many ways to get involved and help Monica and Tyler with their toy drive. They will be accepting donations through Friday, Dec. 13.
If you would like to shop for the toys, suggested items are listed on the flyer. You can drop the toys off at one of the donation points.
The drop-off locations include Buehler’s Fresh Food in Ashland, Rural King in Marysville, and Ohio Virtual Academy in Maumee.
Anyone who wishes to purchase toys online may send them to the Ohio Virtual Academy office at 1690 Woodlands Dr Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537.
The PayPal link for monetary donations is linked below.