NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – With IV bags, needles, and countless equipment, hospitals can be a scary site for kids, but 5-year-old Ella Bast of Combined Locks is doing something to hopefully help.
“I’m giving the little sick boys and girls some presents,” Bast told FOX 11.
Ella donated all her birthday gifts to Thedacare Regional Medical Center in Neenah Tuesday.
Mom Tracey Bast says Ella’s inspiration came after seeing how something as small as a sippy cup helped comfort her little sister in the emergency room.
“She said ‘hey mom I think I wanna give all my birthday gifts to the sick kids at the hospital and make them feel like Avery’.”
Ella raised about $2,000 to buy more gifts.
“She handpicked everything out herself at Target. She took everything off the shelf and put it in the cart, and we were probably at Target close to 3 hours,” Bast explained.
Ella said they bought “some Legos, dolls, clothes, minions, and blankets.”
Nurses told FOX 11, Ella’s presents will help comfort and calm kids at the hospital.
“Really an incredible gift to our department and I think the kids in the future will really enjoy what she did as well,” said ThedaCare nurse, Maddie Arnoldussen.
And in return, the ThedaCare Family of Foundation awarded Ella a $1,000 scholarship for academics.
“The funds were available to do something special for her and it’s a way for us to recognize future community leaders and philanthropist,” explained ThedaCare Philanthropy Vice President, Courtney Weiland.
Bast hopes the scholarship will inspire Ella to go to school and become a better leader than she already is
Ella is already talking about doing another round of donations for her birthday next year.
