The following is a letter to the editor from Taylor Leong. To submit your own letter, e-mail the editor at andrewsylvia@westfordtemplate.com
Hello! My name is Taylor Leong. I am a sophomore at Lawrence Academy. In 2005, I started a toy drive called “For the Love of Erika” in memory of my friend, Erika, who passed away from cancer. When I used to visit her, I would give her gifts to cheer her up. She shared with me how good these gifts would make her feel, and together we talked about collecting and delivering gifts to other sick children. Unfortunately, Erika passed away before our deliveries could begin, and I decided to continue on with it, in her memory.
In the past 9 years, we have raised more than 8,000 gifts! This year, I am hoping to raise at least 2,000 more that will be personally delivered to local hospitals and shelters in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and the Department of Children and Families. We have already confirmed hosting three holiday parties for homeless shelters and foster children (at Jump On In, in Lowell and Haverhill, and Gibbet Hill, in Groton), and have added an additional party in Peabody. We also have a family on the the South Shore collecting and donating gifts to children in need down there, and I am hoping to find some people to cover New Hampshire (central, northern, and seacoast), Maine, and Rhode Island. In addition to this, I am also hoping to add a shelter of 90 families to our list of deliveries! As such, I am asking that you consider donating to “For the Love of Erika”, and helping put smiles on deserving children’s faces!
Please help us reach our goal! Any donations of unopened gifts, gift cards, and/or monetary donations will be greatly appreciated! Checks can be made out to “For the Love of Erika”/CITC, and mailed to c/o Laura Goodman, 68 Main Street, Suite 3, Andover, MA 01810
I hope to be even more successful this year than the last. Thank you so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Taylor Leong
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