The Difference of One
Written by Jennifer Heath | Select photography by Rhonda Kuykendall
SUGAR LAND, Texas (SLM) – When 10-year-old Sawyer Pennington visited Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, she noticed something unusual about all the games and toys in the children’s area of the hospital: They were all items the pediatric patients had to use and then give back. There was nothing the children could keep for themselves while they were being treated. Sawyer decided to change that.
Sawyer Pennington holds some of the toys she purchased for pediatric patients at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
Creating a Plan
During Christmas vacation, Sawyer kept telling her mom, Tina Pennington, that she was going to make care packages to take to Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. “At first, like any other mom, probably, I just kept saying, ‘Sure, sure, that’s a great idea,’” Tina says. “She kept coming back saying it, so I finally stopped and said, ‘OK, let’s get this organized.’” Tina was ready to step in, but a few words of encouragement was all she provided. Sawyer knew what she wanted to do and finalized the details herself.
Each week Sawyer and her sister, Natasha, receive an allowance based on their grade level. Sawyer, in fourth grade at Dulles Elementary, receives $4 dollars a week. She made a budget sheet and determined how much she would spend. She pooled several months’ worth of her saved money and asked her mother to take her to Dollar Tree.
Tina took her daughter to the store and watched as she carefully selected each item to purchase. “It was amazing to watch her,” Tina says. “She wanted to get the most out of her budget, and she wanted to do a great job with the bags, too.”
Brightening Someone’s Day
Sawyer ended up with enough supplies to fill 30 bags for pediatric patients. She decorated the outside of each bag with happy sayings, stickers, and well wishes. Inside, she stuffed a coloring book, crayons, stickers, pencils, and small toys.
“I wanted to do even more,” Sawyer says. “I did it because it was Christmastime, and you might get presents, but you also need to remember to give presents too.”
Sawyer and her mom took the gift bags to Memorial Hermann. Hospital staff gave them a tour of the facility and then dropped off the care packages in the children’s emergency room and in the children’s wing of the hospital. Hollie Young, a certified child life specialist and patient relations coordinator for the hospital, helped deliver Sawyer’s gifts.“The patients were so excited that another child made these for them,” Young says. “They were happy to have some activities to keep them busy and brighten their stay in the hospital.”
Sawyer with her fourth grade teacher Sayeyundra Busey and her mother in front of Dulles Elementary School
On To Bigger and Better
Sawyer’s plans have expanded since she first started thinking about giving back to others. She now wants to coordinate a food drive effort to help families in Sugar Land who are in need of nutritious meals. She also plans on making more care packages for pediatric patients over the summer.
“We want to tell her how much we genuinely appreciate her kindness, selflessness, and giving heart,” Young says. “A lot of children her age would rather spend their money and efforts in other ways, not giving to sick children in the hospital. What a thoughtful donation.” Tina isn’t at all surprised by Sawyer’s giving heart and loving spirit.
“It’s a great way to show the difference one person can make,” Tina says. “You can get caught up in life and get overwhelmed, but making a difference starts with one person like Saywer. It’s just who she is. Everyone can make a difference.” SLM
JENNIFER HEATH works from home while raising her two sons, Landry and Ryan.
