(Joplin, MO) – Forty-four elementary school children from Neosho’s RISE Elementary School embarked on a 23.5-mile bus ride to Joplin on December 16 to hand deliver goodies for Freeman Health System’s youngest patients.
Affectionately called the “Pillowcase Project” by RISE school teacher Kacie Barratt, these first-grade students from Barratt’s and Ashleyanne Cantwell’s classes painstakingly sewed together the colorful, oversized pillowcases each stuffed with toys and books. In the past, Neosho High School students lent helping hands. But not this year.
“I would say the (pillowcases) are all imperfectly perfect,” Barratt said. “They are not all the same size, but they were all made with love. This was 100 percent their project.”
Roughly $1,200 was raised from a recent glow-in-the-dark “Under the Sea” concert held earlier this year. During their visit to Freeman, the six- and seven-year-olds sang “Under the Sea” to the delight of Freeman employees and visitors. The money helped purchase the fabric along with the items placed inside, which included a pair of fuzzy socks, coloring books, handheld games, fidget spinners, and LEGO sets.
“The (students) worked very hard, and they are proud of what they did—and they should be,” Barratt said. “They’re also glad to help others. We won’t see the smiles on the (children’s faces when distributed) but we know we are making the children feel better in the hospital.”
RISE Elementary, part of the Neosho School District, is dedicated to STEAM education, embracing science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
Freeman Health System’s Kalseji Reeves, director of Freeman’s maternal-neonatal services, and Janell Franks, Freeman’s clinical coordinator, accepted the pillowcases from each student.
“It’s amazing,” Reeves said. “This is such a good lesson of being selfless and what the holidays are really all about. Just to see their smiles and gratitude when they are here definitely makes a positive impact.”
About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center — the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services — as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2020, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System the Best Hospital in Southwest Missouri for 2020. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 80 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
Reference:
Kevin McClintock, Media Relations Coordinator
Freeman Health System
417.434.3458
KSMcclintock@freemanhealth.com
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