Hadley has a heart for helping
-
Hadley Humphries, center, is assisted by East Tennessee Children’s Hospital volunteer Molly Hembree, left, and volunteer services specialist Teresa Vessell, to unload more than $800 worth of toys Hadley helped purchase through bake sale proceeds and other donations. - Photo submitted
-
Hadley Humphries gets busy making more than a half dozen batches of brownies she sold at a neighborhood bake sale to help buy needed toys for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. - Photo submitted
Hadley Humphries was only 4 years old when she underwent abdominal surgery, but the positive aspects of her hospital experience have never left her.
Today, the healthy Hardin Valley 7-year-old is all smiles as she talks about the “fun part” of having the corrective procedure at Washington, D.C.’s Children’s Hospital.
“We had a kid’s playroom, where we could go and play with toys,” Hadley recalled.
That’s why she quickly stepped up to help East Tennessee Children’s Hospital patients who currently are in need. Due to COVID-19, shared playrooms are no longer an option, and with an inability to be able to properly clean and sanitize playthings, the hospital announced earlier this summer the need for new toys.
“We told her the hospital was running low on toys, and she wanted to help,” said Hadley’s father, David.
“I wanted them to feel loved in the hospital like I did,” Hadley said. “And it entertains them, too, while they are there.”
Hadley had the idea to hold a neighborhood bake sale.
She and her mom made more than a half-dozen batches of brownies to sell, and they welcomed cookie donations from Ham ‘n Goodys.
“I also made lemonade to sell,” Hadley added.
She raised more than $400 with her bake sale, and monetary donations from family and friends brought in more than $400 more.
“We had between $800 and $900 altogether,” David said.
While toy donations came in to the family, too, the money was well-utilized on a shopping trip to Target, where Hadley picked out “Mario Kart, some little cars, a helicopter and little baby dolls,” she said. “I had fun picking out the toys for the other kids.”
She also chose a special toy for the brother of a neighborhood friend who recently broke his leg.
With the family’s van filled with toys, Hadley and her parents made the delivery in person to ETCH Tuesday, July 7. Teresa Vessell, Volunteer Services Specialist, met the youngster and worked with her on the donation. “It was fun to see how excited Hadley was,” she said. “She was doing everything herself when she came in.
“She wanted to be the one to unpack the toys and put them on a cart so they were ready to be given out,” Vessell added.
Hadley and her family, which includes her mother, Katie, and little sister, Anna Grace, have hearts for service. Her parents formerly worked as church youth ministers when they lived in Northern Virginia, and since moving to Hardin Valley nearly two years ago they have all become involved with Concord United Methodist Church and its many outreach programs.
“We are so proud of her for this,” David said. “It was her own idea, and something she found out about, then figured out a way to solve a need.
“We are really happy she sees the world as a place to help and love,” her proud father added.
