What do you get when you combine a 127 enthusiastic and caring people across 12 different locations, and over 35,000 craft supplies? 2,500 smiling, giggling, happy children.
Workers from the Plibrico company and four Plibrico network partners – F.S. Sperry Company, Empire Refractory Services, Upstate Refractory Services, and FibreCast Inc. – came together to assemble nearly 2,500 Happy Craft kits for Shriners hospitals for children.
“While we know that the children at Shriners hospitals receive one-of-a-kind attention for their condition, what we don’t appreciate is the toll the procedures and treatments take on a child and their families,” said Plibrico president and CEO Brad Taylor. “The Happy Craft kits provide a welcome, fun distraction from the realities of being in a hospital. Shriners hospitals provide a supporting, loving environment, and we’re extremely proud to help support that healing environment.”
Plibrico Company’s Happy Craft Project contributes an important component of the healing process for these brave young patients. “Happy Crafts” are a hands-on playtime activity for parents and children who are living through the long hours of rehabilitation and recovery.
A total of 127 Plibrico company and Plibrico network associates took part.
In Ontario, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois, they huddled over cafeteria tables, in conference rooms and supervisors’ offices, counting out thousands of beads, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, clothespins, and other hobby materials to package into separate kits for distribution. The kits contained instructions for building action figures, fire breathing dragons, dream catchers, race cars, funny bugs and wind spinners.
“The kits deliver a much-needed diversion from their day to day challenges,” added Taylor. “These children are facing chronic, life threatening illnesses. When they put their hands and imaginations to work to help take their minds off their daily struggles, they feel better about themselves. In addition to an escape for the children, it’s for the parents too, even if it’s only for a couple hours.
Handcrafts, art and drawing activities have proven to improve a patient’s mood, emotions, and sense of self-worth. Hospitals frequently initiate such programs for their potential to reduce stress and depression, as well as to lighten the weight of serious, lingering illness.
“Plibrico has a strong footprint in our industry. We take an active interest in the communities where we work and live, and we want to contribute however we can,” said Taylor. “The Shriners hospitals for children is an outstanding institution doing invaluable work. Plibrico and the Happy Craft Project is proud to be a part of that.”
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