“We just wanted to make Christmas a little brighter for the children who have to be in the hospital” said Staff Sargent Rhueben Towne of the Texas State Guards 5th Air Wing. Several other cities throughout Texas have done the toy drive for the Young Heroes of the Guard in the past few years and we thought it was time to add Houston. We put out boxes around the city and Houstonians donated as they usually do. We chose Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital as the recipient. The hospital provides toys at Christmas, birthdays, after difficult procedures and several other parties, so they have a year round need. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital also has several playrooms which are stocked with games and toys.

Thursday December 19th members of the 5th Air wing and the Houston MRG delivered over 730 toys to the hospital. They were greeted by Richard Weir the Director, Facility Operations of Child Life Department. Staff members also said it was the largest single donation Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital has received to date. The TX State Guard toy program has expanded statewide and has brought comfort to the smallest Texans at this important time of year.