From left, with three vehicles filled with toys in Center Township, Jayson Stahlman, Jessica Best Woessner, Luke Woessner, Lynne Best and Kory Nowakowski of Mission Make a Child Smile will deliver three vehicles full of toys to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.

CENTER TWP — When Jessica Best Woessner's brother was in Children's Hospital during the 2003 Christmas season following a snowboarding accident, the family noticed a quiet, ill patient in the next room who was always alone.

“Nobody was with her and nobody came to see her,” said Woessner. “She was a very polite little girl, but she never smiled and was never happy.”

Then two days before Christmas, Santa came around with huge sacks of toys for each young patient.

“That little girl smiled the whole day,” recalled Woessner.

That memory resulted in the formation of Mission Make a Child Smile, in which Woessner collects toys and money from her family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances for delivery to UPMC Children's Hospital during the holidays.

Woessner collected $752 plus a pile of toys the first year, which was four years ago.

On Monday Woessner and her family packed three vehicles with new toys and headed down to Pittsburgh.

“This year, we took down over $4,000 worth of toys,” she said.

She said she collected toys and $1,000 in cash, which she and friends took to a Cranberry Township toy store to shop for presents.

The toys are dropped off at the hospital, and the staff distributes them to the patients.

Woessner's mother, Lynn Best, said her daughter carries out the project in between working several jobs.

Best said Woessner also pays out of her own pocket for any expenses, like renting a U-Haul truck last year to deliver the toys or the fees to set up an account on an online donation website.“I think she is pretty special,” Best said. “She goes out of her way to try and help people and that makes me very proud of her.”She also recalled the forlorn little girl in the room next door to her son.“Nobody ever came. There was never anyone there,” said Best. “Santa handed her that sack and her face just lit up.”She said the girl's situation made the entire family sad as they dealt with her son's injury.“It really made an impression on Jessica,” Best said.Those who would like to donate to next year's effort can search “Mission MACS” on Facebook.

Jessica Best Woessner helped collect more than $4,000 worth of toys this year for Mission Make a Child Smile.