Christmas came a little early for a few patients at Scott and White's McLane Children's Specialty Center in Temple thanks to a company called Lone Star Softball.
Every year the company holds a special tournament throughout Texas around Christmas time and offers teams a discount if they donate a toy per player. Each team was required to donate at least ten toys to get the discount but most gave more.
This year, they brought toys worth $6,000 to $7,000 to Cancer and Blood Disorder patients at McLane Children's Specialty Center.
Kids were able to come into a room and find the perfect toy for them and their siblings.
Scott Duffy, who is the director of Lone Star Softball, says being able to do this every year warms his heart and he loves seeing the kids reactions.
"Just seeing the smiles on some of these kids faces when they come in here they are overwhelmed," Duffy said. "It's like they are walking into Toys-R-US and they get to pick whatever they want."
Tracy Ash has been involved with this drive for five years to give back to the Center that helped her family. Her son Colby Ash was a patient At McLane Children's Specialty Center and completed his treatment there and is now in remission. Ash says she truly understands how hard it can be on parents around this time of the year.
"We know how hard it is and the financial burdens that parents go through and we just wanted to give back because our son is now 13 and we're very blessed," Ash said.
Toys left over from the drive will be stored at McLane Children's Specialty Center and will be given out to patients during birthdays, end of treatments and difficult times thought the year.
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