Connellsville woman donates Jared Boxes

Uniontown Hospital received 140 Jared Boxes thanks to the generosity and kindness of a local woman.

The Jared Box Project is a movement to provide a plastic storage box filled with small gifts, toys, games and activities to help lift the spirits of children while they are hospitalized.

Thanks to Karen Gall, of Connellsville, pediatric patients at Uniontown Hospital will have these boxes available to provide comfort and encouragement during their stay.

“This is such a wonderful blessing for our organization and for area children in need of a smile,” Pastoral Care and Volunteer Services Director, Scott Martin, said. “The commitment of Karen to help collect, organize and deliver these gifts – it is just truly remarkable.”

Gall, who was assisted in bringing the boxes to the hospital by her friend, Brooke Pearson, said that she made a commitment to participate in the Jared Box Project to honor the memory of her son, Collin.

The project began in 2001 in State College by a group of children who had been classmates of Jared – a 5-year-old boy who battled cancer in 1999 and 2000 and who traveled to all his appointments and treatments with a backpack filled with toys and games that he then shared with others.

As a result of their effort to honor the legacy and memory of their friend, the project has now resulted in more than 200,000 Jared Boxes being delivered to hospitals across the country.

Uniontown Hospital will utilize the boxes in three departments of the hospital, including Emergency, Pediatric and Surgical Services.