DeGRAFF – We have all heard the cliché many times, “It only takes one person to change the world.” And although that may sound unrealistic and unattainable to many people, it really does happen sometimes. And when it does, it’s usually something pretty special.
In this case it took just two young siblings to change the world for the better, and it has definitely become something very special and memorable.
How it all got started
Tyler and Monica Slaven of DeGraff started a small toy drive four years ago and after a lot of hard work and some help from family, friends and fellow students it has now snowballed into an incredible statewide record-setting campaign that collected more than 9,000 toys this Christmas. Cameras rolled from NBC4 TV in Columbus as the brother/sister duo dropped off a large U-Haul truckload of toys in front Nationwide Children’s Hospital of Columbus last week. It took a crew of hospital employees to wheel in all the boxes of toys into the hospital.
“Four years ago my sister Monica was a senior and I was a freshman at Ohio Virtual Academy, which is Ohio’s largest online public school,” said Tyler Slaven. “That was a very special year for us both because it was our first, and last year together in high school. We wanted to do something that would make an important difference as well as something that we both could work together on as a team. After giving it a lot of thought, we decided we wanted to put smiles on as many children’s faces that were in the hospital during Christmas as we could,” added Slaven.
Both Tyler and Monica were inspired by real life examples of how Nationwide Children’s Hospital made a big difference in someone’s life. “At the time, our high school foreign language teacher actually had adopted a little guy named Sawyer,” said Slaven. “He has some special needs, but Nationwide Children’s Hospital had and still is very involved in making sure his needs are met,” added Slaven.
“We also know someone that shared with us a story back from her childhood,” said Slaven. “She had spent time up in the hospital during Christmas as a child. On Christmas morning, Santa Claus went from room to room to visit and talk with the kids, as well as give them a Christmas present,” added Slaven. “Getting to see Santa and receiving a present completely took your mind off of being in a hospital on Christmas,” she told Monica and Tyler. “And to this day she said she remembers it like it was yesterday.”
So, the Slaven brother/sister duo set out on their own to start a toy drive. It was really uncharted territory for the brave and giving duo. They went out and hit the pavement and asked local stores and businesses if they could put a box in their stores so people could donate by dropping a new toy in the box. “After going door-to-door to businesses in community after community, we found many of them were able to personally connect with how much it truly means to help these kids out. For some of the business owners and independent individuals who helped, this can be a pretty rough time of the year, not only with the holiday rush but also with financial hardships,” Slaven maintained.
“However, business after business, person after person, jumped on board to help be a part of this,” said Slaven. “The joy and meaning of Christmas, the smiles, the efforts and impact as a community, it all truly starts and spreads from the beginning all the way until the last smile from each child at the hospital when they wake up on Christmas morning and open those presents,” added Slaven.
Child inspired to make a difference
The sole fact of knowing how many smiling faces there would be at Children’s Hospital was enough reward for Tyler and his group to carry on this campaign drive. “One story that sticks out in my mind is when we had one of our Santa Day events at Koenig Equipment a few weeks ago.” said Slaven. “Santa, his elves, and Mrs. Claus were all there. We had a small donation jar out on the table where people signed in at. As each family signed in, I explained to them about our efforts to reach the kids that won’t get to spend Christmas at home with their families.
“Well, a little girl, probably about 6 years old, must have been listening,” said Slaven. “A little while after getting signed in and taking some pictures with Santa, the family started to head out the front door. Well, the little girl started to walk out, but then turned around and walked back over to the table where I was. She reached into her pocket and looked up at me and said, ‘I want you to have all of my money so the kids in the hospital can have toys too.’ I leaned down and told her that she doesn’t have to do that, but she insisted the kids needed it more. Perhaps only a few dollars, but the true kindness was much greater,” added Slaven.
Many people are unaware how much a small toy or gift can mean to a child away from family and who will not wake up at home on Christmas morning. “If each of us could just see these kids in the hospital we all would realize how much of a difference can be made, not a single child in any hospital would wake up on Christmas morning without at least cracking a little smile,” added Slaven.
Moving forward
In 2017, the Slavens’ Toy Drive collected an incredible 3,000 toys. For 2018, Tyler set a challenging goal to double that effort and his official goal was to aim for 6,000 toys. “To our surprise we not only reached our goal of 6,000 toys but actually more than tripled the amount we collected last year.” All totaled, the amount of toys collected this year was 9,224. “When we dropped off the toys at the hospital, the representative at Nationwide Children’s said that was the largest toy donation in the history of the hospital,” Slaven said.
For an 18-year-old high school senior, Tyler has an extraordinarily busy schedule, juggling the toy drive with many other responsibilities. He will be graduating this June from both high school and simultaneously from the University of Northwestern Ohio with an associate’s degree in agribusiness. He also works full time at Koenig Equipment, where he previously served as an intern. He plans on earning a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness in the near future. He is student council president, president of the National Honor Society and serves as president of the Ohio Virtual Academy Agricultural Society. He wants everyone to know that even though he is graduating, “That doesn’t mean our efforts of doing a toy drive for the kids stops. We plan on and look forward to keeping this annual Toy Drive a tradition for years to come,” Slaven said. “We will kick off our 5th Annual Toy Drive next year by November 1, 2019. We will have boxes at many of the same drop-off locations again next year.”
Slaven and his crew are very appreciative of all the donors and everyone who helped out. “I just want to say thank you so much to everyone, all of the businesses, individuals, and anonymous donors, that have helped to reach all of these kids this Christmas,” said Slaven. “You truly are touching many lives,” said Slaven.
Not too late to donate
If you missed out on making a donation into one of the boxes at any of the Slaven toy donation locations, it’s not too late to jump on board. “We set up a donation link this year to help reach as many people as we could to gather funds to purchase toys for the kids. This link will remain open 365 days a year if you would like to make a donation at any time,” Slaven said. “I just want to say thank you to everyone once more and I want to wish a very Merry Christmas, and a safe, blessed, Happy New Year.”
Donations can be made via PayPal using either the link https://tinyurl.com/ybalnwxw or by scanning the QR code accompanying this story.
List of businesses and donors who participated
Anna: Koenig Equipment, Tri-County Veterinary Service, Sidney Flower Shop, Anna Community Library – Bellefontaine: JR & Nina Lane of Lane Lube Express, Stites, Dorcey’s Flowers, The Fun Company – Home of Education Station, Wren’s Florist, Me & Company, Tractor Supply Co., Belle Printing, Big Lots, Northside Animal Clinic, Dave Carother’s Custom Auto Sales, Steve Austin’s Auto Group, Foster Wolf of WPKO, Union Station, Zimmerman Reality, Unseen Elegance, 2G’s, Six Hundred Downtown, The Marketplace Bistro, Walmart – Botkins: Koenig Equipment, Brown Industrial, Schnippel Construction, Kennedy’s Garage, Meyer’s Tavern, Ask Amy Staging, First National Bank, Finishing Touches Flowers & More, Trojan’s Den Pizza, Botkins Library, Circle K, Dollar General, Clint Cruset- Canal Winchester: Heather Tolles –Casstown: Mr. & Mrs. Norman – DeGraff: Comer Insurance, Bell Insurance, Pat Brown of Regency Reality, Buckeye Pizza, Steve’s Market and Deli, Family Dollar, Gangster’s Ristorante, RE-AL Winner Farms, Beatrice Slaven, Susan Strayer – Fort Loramie: Fort Loramie Library – Jackson Center: Curly’s Custom Meats, Jackson Center Library -Lakeview: Mr. & Mrs. Brooks – Lewistown: Yeasel Farms, Reichert Excavating – Lima: Big R – Maplewood: Chad’s Automotive Repair – Marysville: Rural King, Walmart – Maumee: Ohio Virtual Academy – Mechanicsburg: Mechanicsburg Library – New Bremen: Coalesce Plus, New Bremen Massage Clinic – Perrysburg: Mr. & Mrs. Keaton – Sidney: Ron & Nita’s, The Spot, Tractor Supply Co., Amos Memorial Public Library, Walmart – Springfield: Rural King, Walmart – St. Paris: St. Paris Library – Russia: Russia Library – Wapakoneta: AWA Marketing, Chet Hittepole of Spencer Real Estate, Dad’s Toy Shop, Moon Florist, Riverside Art Center, Your Jewelry Box, Interior Motifs, Walmart – West Liberty: Sweetie Pie’s Baked Goods and Coffee Shop, Kara Lynn’s, The People’s Savings and Loan Company, Dorcey’s Flowers, Hillside Greenhouse, Mr. & Mrs. Holland – Zanesfield: Marmon Valley Farm – All Anonymous and Silent Donors
