At the Bottomless Toy Chest, Every Penny Counts!”

By Mattye Tierce

The toy chest in the lobby, and the posters in the hall are all signs that point towards The Bottomless Toy Chest!! This non-profit organization helps deliver toys to children with cancer. Initiated by Mickey Guisewite, The Bottomless Toy chest delivers their toys to major hospitals in Michigan like DMC, Beaumont, St. John’s Hospital, Sparrow, and University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. When Beverly Elementary student Aidan Johnson-Hill heard about this cause, he suggested it to the instructional specialist, Kelly Tomasik. Mrs. Tomasik helped it become a part of Beverly’s Service Learning Projects. We helped with this cause by setting up our own “bottomless toy chest” in the lobby for the toys people brought to school.  After the designated time for collecting toys was done, we had to take the cellophane-wrapped toys to the BTC warehouse. On February 1^st, we all rode in cars to the warehouse in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where the toys are kept and delivered. We met Mickey and learned more about the BTC. The reasons they must wrap the toys in cellophane are:

• It help kids with weak immune systems by keeping the toys clean
• It gives the children a choice of one thing or another with the see-through container while the toys stay wrapped
• Wrapped presents give the children a sense of joy and excitement.

Mickey started the BTC after her son was diagnosed with cancer. She hopes the Bottomless Toy Chest will help bring happiness to children as they grow healthy and strong. With every toy, we can bring ecstasy to patients who are less fortunate than us.