Hudson Valley Hospital Raises $15,000 for Presents

CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. – The Hudson Valley Hospital Center held its 16th annual Santa’s Helpers Christmas present wrapping party Wednesday afternoon. The party represents the culmination of a year’s work for the fundraiser, collecting $15,000 in donations and buying presents for 104 needy children.

“When you hear about a kid that’s in a situation, and wants a bike, you want to help,” said Steve Kahn, of Danny’s Cycles in the Cortlandt Town Center. For the first time, Danny’s Cycles donated a brand new black bicycle to an 11-year-old boy living in the Hayden House group home in Ossining.

Kahn picked out the Gary Fisher “Cronus” bicycle for two reasons, the bike will be the right size for the boy’s height, and Kahn said, “I think it’s a really cool bike.” Kahn has three sons and says he believes that’s what his sons would have picked out.

“I hope this will be a regular thing for us,” Kahn said. Sue Lepore, an administrative assistant at the hospital who organizes the fundraiser each year, said an underprivileged child receiving a new bicycle was akin to having a new “Cadillac in your driveway on Christmas day.”

Other notable presents given to children included a bed for a 5-year-old girl who had never had a bed. Herb Mayer, director of residential services at the Hayden House, said kids requested everything from perfume to cameras and a wide range of those requests were fulfilled.

When the Santa’s Helpers program began in 1995, the program spent about $25 to $50 on each child and gave presents to about 20 children. Now, according to Lepore, the program raises almost $15,000, for more than 100 children and spends about $125 on each child.

Westchester County social services and area social service organizations help the hospital determine where children with the most need are. Many of the children send personal “thank you” letters after Christmas.

Santa Claus was present to cheer on hospital employees and four troops of Girl Scouts wrapping presents.

Fundraising for the event began in July and continued until the 11th hour – when it was time to send volunteer shoppers out to stores for the presents. The hospital raised nearly $15,000 in 2011.  

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