Holiday season brings big gifts to children’s hospital

‘Tis the season for giving, and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia is the benefactor of significant donations from a local Kiwanis club and Resolute Forest Products.

Columbia County Kiwanis recently demonstrated that a little effort can go a long way during the season of giving. This local Kiwanis organization spearheaded a fundraiser to support the Children’s Hospital of Georgia’s Camp Sweet Life for children with type 1 diabetes.

The first business to step up to the plate was Market House Realty with a donation of $5,000. After that, the Georgia District of the Kiwanis Foundation International kicked in another $5,000. Altogether, Kiwanis Columbia County donated $14,000 to the Children’s Hospital for Camp Sweet Life this week.

Dr. Chris Houk, who is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia, a pediatric endocrinologist and the medical director for the camp, and Stephanie Grayson, a child life specialist and camp director, received the donation on behalf of the Children’s Hospital.

Resolute Forest Products held a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraiser during the month of November to support Children’s Hospital of Georgia and raised $25,000 in donations and employee pledges.

About $10,000 of the donation represents monthly pledges made by employees that will come through payroll deduction each month in 2018, and $667.00 in cash and checks was given directly from employees last month, according to Catherine Stewart, associate director of development for CMN and the Children’s Hospital. In addition, the mill was awarded $10,000 from the corporate offices to give to the charity of choice for achieving 500,000 safe man-hours, meaning ZERO injuries.

“They chose to give that money to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, too,” Stewart said.

Finally, a $5,000 matching pledge was given on behalf of the first $5,000 committed in employee pledges.

“We are so thankful for the tremendous community support from businesses like Resolute and organizations like Columbia County Kiwanis. We couldn’t provide the kind of care we do at the Children’s Hospital without their donations,” Stewart said.