The Seneca County Opportunity Center Aktion Club in Ohio, U.S., turned an idea into action by creating chemo care packages for cancer patients at Tiffin Mercy Hospital. It was a project that the club had done before, but it had been dormant for a few years — until the club’s vice president, Josh Meyers, suggested bringing it back.
The club loved the idea and voted unanimously to commit US$200. The project turned out to be more than just a success as service — it proved that collaboration works.
Aktion Club officers quickly reached out to their Kiwanis family: the Tiffin Kiwanis Club and the Tiffin K-Kids. The Kiwanis club collected tote bags and fleece blankets, while the K-Kids focused on gathering hard candies and snacks. All three clubs distributed flyers, placed collection bins around the community and made social media posts seeking donations of comfort items such as fuzzy socks, hand lotion, puzzle books and Biotene gum. The items were suggested by the Mercy Cancer Center, where the donations were delivered.
February brought a flurry of activity as donations poured in. By early March, Aktion Club members and their Kiwanis family partners were sorting the items and assembling the care packages.
During the delivery to Tiffin Mercy Hospital, the oncology staff was overwhelmed by generosity. The care packages contained everything from cozy scarves to word-search books. In total, members assembled and distributed 50 care packs — each one offering comfort items and handmade cards, as well as kindness and hope, to a patient facing a challenging journey.
“This makes me feel really good,” says one Aktion Club member. “It shows what we can achieve when we work together.”