Fundraising

An important aspect of club membership is fundraising.  We are currently raising money to create the Le Bonheur Club Child Life Endowment.   This endowment will “bring some sunshine into a child’s life” at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.  The goal is to ensure that in addition to the world class medical services, each child has access to excellent social, emotional, developmental, and educational support.

The Le Bonheur Club Child Life Endowment will ensure that the care and treatment at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital encompasses every aspect and every facet of a child’s being.

Volunteering

Le Bonheur Club volunteers contribute more than 1,200 service hours each year at the hospital. Serving coffee and snacks to parents, delivering crayons and coloring books to patients and keeping the Bunny Room stocked are a few of the ways volunteers bring smiles to the faces of both the children and their parents.

Hospitality: Le Bonheur Club members deliver coffee, donuts, juice, soft drinks, snacks, books, and magazines to parents who are staying with their children. During times when parents do not want to leave their child's room, Le Bonheur Club volunteers bring welcome relief and comfort.  Members also distribute coloring books, books, and toys for the patients.

Patients' Special Events: Le Bonheur Club hosts themed parties for the patients at the hospital. These parties celebrate holidays and seasons of the year. Goody bags are created and then taken to the patient floors and given to the children. Special guests such as Rocky the Redbird also help entertain at these parties.

Bunny Room: Any child undergoing surgery at Le Bonheur i s allowed to “shop” in the Bunny Room for a special toy prior to surgery.   That toy is there to comfort the patients as they wake up from surgery in the recovery room. The Bunny Room has an annual budget to spend on stocking the toys, but also relies upon donations from members and others.   Periodically, targeted drives are held by the members to ensure each child, no matter the age, has something to choose from the shelves of the Bunny Room.

Pet Therapy: Several times each month, specially trained pets make the rounds at the hospital to meet and greet patients.   Le Bonheur Club members accompany members of the Mid South Therapy Dogs in visiting patients. Patients enjoy the distraction that pets can bring to their hospital stay.

Blankets: Le Bonheur Club members make fuzzy, soft, no-sew blankets to distribute to patients; especially those in the Special Care Units.   This provides something for each child to hold and snuggle with that can also go home with them.   Members attend “no-sew blanket” parties to put the blankets together while socializing with other members.