V.S. North students donate books and dolls to South Nassau Communities Hospital

For their first act of service, members of Valley Stream North High School’s National Junior Honor Society made a donation to a local medical center. Students gave books and dolls to the pediatric unit at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside.

The honor society started this year and has 44 members in eighth and ninth grades.

“They’re very service-oriented,” Advisor Jill Goldstein said of the students. “Being part of the honor society goes beyond the induction.”

Members donated 44 copies David Saltzman’s illustrated children’s book “The Jester has Lost his Jingle,” which Goldstein described as joyful and uplifting. The pediatric unit was also presented with 35 jester dolls.

Kerri Wagner, a child life consultant at South Nassau, said while the pediatric unit receives many donations, this was the first time it has received the Jester book and dolls. She said that there are between six and 10 children in the unit at a time, so the donation will last a while.

The National Junior Honor Society held a read-a-thon to raise money to buy the Jester books and dolls. Students read books and had others pledge between a penny and dime per page. As a group, they read about 8,000 pages and were able to raise $1,200.

Chapter President Abigail Balsamo, a ninth-grader, read “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens at the recommendation of her English teacher, as well as “The Kite Runner.” In total, she completed about 500 pages of reading.

“Everyone thought it was a really great way to give back to our community,” Abigail said. “We had a lot of fun and it was for a good cause.”

Abigail said she hopes the books and dolls will bring children hope and happiness.

“Maybe one day when they’re going to a treatment, they can bring the dolls with them,” she said, “or have their visitors read them the book.”