With a warm smile a volunteer pushing a cart at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center approaches a child sitting with her father waiting for an appointment and says, "Do you know your daddy is a hero?"
We now know that cart as the, "Kiddie Cart". Who knew a cart could provide excitement and hope? Who knew a cart could make the life of a veteran just a little easier? Who knew a cart could be a way that we can show our veterans we appreciate them? This cart does all that and more.
Voluntary Service at the VA Medical Center has a “Kiddie Cart” to help meet the increased needs of veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn with young children who accompany them to their medical appointments. The goal is to alleviate some of the child's fear and anxiety when they come to the VA Medical Center with their parents and hopefully create a more positive experience for them.
A volunteer walks the halls of the VA Medical Center with the "Kiddie Cart" that is now filled with over 100 brand new stuffed animals, coloring books, dolls, puzzles, cars, and story books. When the volunteer finds a child, she provides them with an item from the cart to be able to not only play with while they're at the VA Medical Center, but something that they can take home with them.
The donation of the 100 new items came from the 3rd & Goal Foundation; the thought of being able to make life just a little easier for 100 children and veterans makes today a special one.
