5-year-old can teach adults a lot about this season
In the Monday, Dec. 8, edition of the Butler Eagle, we learned about a holiday blanket drive for cancer patients.
While there are a lot of collection drives this time of year – from toys and gifts for children who might otherwise not get Christmas presents, to food drives for those who might otherwise go hungry – this one is different for a few reasons. The most unusual part of this drive is who organized it: a 5-year-old girl from Chicora, Beckley Jones.
Beckley, with the help of her mother, Karissa Beham, placed collection bins at Chicora Alliance Church and Harvest Church in Fairview. They are looking for new blankets that can be given to cancer patients receiving treatment at ACMH Oncology in Kittanning.
The idea of collecting blankets for people undergoing cancer treatment is a sweet one, as low body temperature or chills are common side effects. And to pin it to the Christmas season is a gesture that lets people know they aren’t alone during a difficult time.
Beham credits Beckley with the idea for the drive, and she already has given away her toys to those in need.
“She’s always wanting to help. She’s like a little mother hen,” Beham said of her daughter. “It’s just her demeanor that she wants to give back.”
Donations of blankets are being accepted through Dec. 22. Beckley deserves recognition for her work to make other people’s holidays a little more comfortable.
— JK
