A 12-year-old from Lordstown got into the true holiday spirit this year by collecting toys for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Hannah Emerson started her collection Nov. 21 and by the time it ended on Dec. 11, she collected 376 toys. This was her second year doing the toy drive and she more than doubled the amount of her donations from 2010 when she collected 178 toys.
Hannah placed collection barrels at Dollar General in Lordstown and Niles. She said both stores, as well as the entire community, were very supportive of her efforts.
"Last year, I decided I just wanted to do something nice for other people. This year, I did it because it was so much fun," Hannah said.
Hannah said she chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation for her toy drive because it is her mom's favorite charity. Her mom, DeAnn Bennett, said she always donates to Make-A-Wish because Hannah's cousin Tiffany died of bone cancer in 1987 at the age of 3. Bennett said Tiffany died before her final wish was granted, and even though Hannah never met her, she has heard stories about her.
Hannah said the Make-A-Wish Foundation has a toy closet and organizers told her it was nearly empty by the time Christmas arrived last year. She said organizers told her that her donations helped replenish the closet for several months, so she is hoping her larger donation this year will help even more.
"It's fun collecting all the toys and seeing what people give. And I like knowing that I will put a smile on the face of 376 kids this year," she said.
Some of the toys she collected included dolls, play tea sets, a planetarium, remote control cars, sunglasses, art sets, stuffed animals and games.
Kim Sazima, development associate for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Northeast Ohio Region, said the organization has been the recipient of toy drives organized by schools, but it's unusual for an individual to do one, especially a 7th grader like Hannah.
"This is so great, to see someone her age being so concerned about others. This will bring smiles to kids' faces for months," Sazima said.
Hannah told Sazima she wanted pictures of the toy closet when all her donations are in it so she can see how it looks. Sazima gave Hannah a calendar and a plaque for her efforts.
Hannah said she already has decided to do the toy drive again next year, and she has something even bigger planned but she would not reveal what it is.
"I want to help even more kids, so it's going to be something big," Hannah said.
And her giving spirit did not end when the toy drive was over. She also donated a princess TV set to the Diemert family of Warren, whose house was broken into earlier this month and their Christmas gifts were stolen. The family has four little girls and Hannah said she wanted to do something to help them.
"I know how I would have felt if that happened to me," Hannah said.
