6-year-old donates toys to hospital

ANSONIA, Conn. (WTNH) -- A girl from Ansonia has a special Christmas wish. Instead of asking for gifts, 6-year-old Mekenzie Revere wants people to donate toys to a local hospital's pediatric unit.

The shy little girl, in between her loving parents, had a big dream this holiday season.

Instead of wanting gifts for herself on her 6th birthday tomorrow, she's asking people to donate toys to the toy closet at the Bridgeport Hospital Pediatric Unit.

"She felt that she needed to give back to the children, who want to be home for the holidays," Mekenzie's mother Nicole Revere said.

The idea came to Mekenzie around Thanksgiving after asking her mother if children in the hospital were able to come home for the holidays.

"I had told her some do and some don't so this year Mekenzie decided for her 6th birthday she wanted to give her toys so she could donate them to the Bridgeport Hospital Pediatric unit," Revere said.
 
That got the ball rolling. Mekenzie's parents then got in touch with Bridgeport Hospital about their daughter's dream.

"It's impressive. We're really happy she wants to do this for us," Amy Huff of Bridgeport Hospital said.

The crayons, puzzles, coloring books, and other items in the toy closet really make the holidays a little brighter for the children.
       
"We use them for rewards, use them for birthdays and Christmas so the toys kind of make the kids happier and they make the families feel better, just all around makes everybody happy," Huff said.

Tomorrow donations are being collected at the Assumption School in Ansonia, where Mekenzie is a student and somewhat of a role model. Donations can be dropped off at 9:00 a.m. and the toys will be delivered to the hospital on Dec. 21.

"Well, I think Mekenzie certainly lives our mission, enter to learn and go forth to service and she's doing a great job for all the children who are in the hospital and would look forward to something special," Kathy Mulner of the Assumption School said.

Special indeed, a little girl's dream that will mean so much to people she may never know.