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Just weeks before Landyn\u2019s passing, Howard had passed from a rare lung disease that the 5-year-old had contracted from his chemotherapy treatment. Howard was first diagnosed with cancer at just eight days old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the passing of the two boys, the family was asked if they would like to come together to do something in memory of Landyn and Howard.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the beginning, we connected through the boys,\u201d explained Howard\u2019s mother, Andrea. \u201cSomeone had brought us together because they knew of another family who was going through cancer. While the boys never met, we connected through trying to get an occupational therapist to come to our homes. After the passing [of Landyn and Levi], Steve Macon and Jeff Pennington asked if we wanted to get together. We didn\u2019t even say a toy drive at the time. We met in a big room, and then it came together pretty rapidly. We thought \u2014 if we can do a toy drive for the community, why can\u2019t we do one for the kids in the hospital fighting cancer? We knew what it was like to be there at Christmas and unable to leave, to shop for gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A LEGACY IN MOTION<\/p>\n\n\n\n Almost immediately, the plans for what would become \u201cChristmas for Landyn and Levi\u201d went into motion. Donation boxes and drive sites were set up at local businesses. The group hoped to collect a \u201cfew\u201d toys to go to Vanderbilt Hospital and TC Thompson\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital. Landyn and Levi had been patients at each of the hospitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur first year wasn\u2019t the biggest, but it was one of the biggest drives we\u2019ve had. We had between 1600-1700 toys donated and split between the two,\u201d said Daniel Howard, Levi\u2019s father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Volunteer and current vice president of the drive\u2019s nonprofit organization Jeff Pennington said that they could see the positive impact that the drive would have from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSteve and I were talking, and we said, \u2018Do you think we can have 50 toys for each hospital?\u2019 And it just started snowballing,\u201d he said. \u201cJust to show you the impact\u2026 The first year we went to Chattanooga, the collection center at TC Thompson was empty. They had told us that it had been a lean year for donations. We were able to fill that room up with 865 toys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the past eight years, the drive has delivered over 11,000 toys for children from birth to 20 years old. They have become so big that they are now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe began to receive monetary donations and wanted to make sure that those who donated knew their money was going straight to the cause,\u201d said Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ashley Zani, a child-life specialist with Erlanger, said that the donations help to make Christmas brighter for children who are fighting cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChristmas from Landyn and Levi impacts not just the Winchester community but [also] the communities of Chattanooga and Nashville,\u201d she said. \u201cThese generous gifts are donated to appreciative child-life programs. Child-life specialists make the hospital more normal and less scary for children. These donations help us do our job and allow us to give children and families a holiday in the hospital when they are unable to be at home with their families. These donations brighten holidays for children and families, and the donations are so large that we are able to use them for months to come, in our playrooms and at bedside with children in the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GRATEFUL HEARTS <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Andrea, she stated that the community support has been phenomenal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/em>I think from the beginning we\u2019ve all been backed by an amazing community,\u201d she stated. \u201cOf course, none of it would be possible without Landyn and Levi, but it would not be possible without our community either. Our community, in general, is an amazing source all the way around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the group gets ready for its ninth year, they have made the collective decision that this will be the last for the toy drive. In a statement made on the drive\u2019s Facebook page, the group has decided to conclude the drive, but they are thankful for the community\u2019s support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is with full heartfelt love and appreciation to you all to say how thankful we. are to each person and organization who has donated a gift, their time, and their song to give thousands of toys to the bravest kids ever at Vanderbilt and Erlanger Children\u2019s Hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For its final toy drive, Andrea said that she hopes this will be the biggest one yet and invites the community to remember her son and Landyn by giving back to those who are in need. GN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LEGACY. A term that has many definitions. It can be one\u2019s money or assets, faith or values, or reputation. While it can mean so many things, what is important to remember about a person\u2019s legacy is that it provides guidance and inspiration for those who knew them, to live lives that positively impact their faith, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1317,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[25],"class_list":["post-1298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-december"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image14-1-1024x626.jpeg\")
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