Teh One Who Knocks
12-26-2011, 12:00 PM
Eli Stokols - KDVR-TV FOX 31 Denver
http://i.imgur.com/wqBrN.png
DENVER -- Tenley Hollman carried the big red shopping bag across the hard tile floor of the lobby at Children's Hospital and handed it to a girl whose name she didn't know.
The other girl, seated with her parents hooked up to an IV, took the bag and pulled out a doll.
It was a silent exchange between two shy youngsters -- and it spoke volumes about the holiday spirit.
"My hope is that these dolls make other kids Christmas' happy who may be in the hospital," said Ross Hollman, Tenley's father.
"I think it's just a matter of doing the right thing and she's learning that we do have enough in our own lives that we have enough to give away."
Tenley came to the hospital on Christmas morning with 50 "American Girl" dolls, each valued at $100, that were paid for and donated by people all across Colorado and the country.
It's a family project that began a year ago, after Tenley herself saved up the money needed to buy a doll and Ross convinced her to give it away instead.
"We had a conversation with her about taking that money and buying an American Girl doll and donating it to Children's Hospital. And I told her if she did that, I would match it," Ross Hollman said.
"It's a pretty tough thing for a five-year-old to decide, to give up something she wants so badly. But she did."
As Ross Hollman blogged about the project, others took note and started sending donations, which the family then matched.
Last year, they donated 42 dolls.
"Our goal this year was 50 dolls," he said. "And we had an anonymous donor give us $5,000 so we were able to reach it."
For Ross, the gift of watching his daughter learn the value has made for a memorable holiday.
And Tenley, too, understands better than many children her age how giving can actually be the best gift of all.
Asked what she wanted for Christmas, Tenley said, simply: "To make the girls at Children's Hospital happy."
To learn more about Tenley's project and to to donate or contribute, her website is www.tenleyhollman.com
http://i.imgur.com/wqBrN.png
DENVER -- Tenley Hollman carried the big red shopping bag across the hard tile floor of the lobby at Children's Hospital and handed it to a girl whose name she didn't know.
The other girl, seated with her parents hooked up to an IV, took the bag and pulled out a doll.
It was a silent exchange between two shy youngsters -- and it spoke volumes about the holiday spirit.
"My hope is that these dolls make other kids Christmas' happy who may be in the hospital," said Ross Hollman, Tenley's father.
"I think it's just a matter of doing the right thing and she's learning that we do have enough in our own lives that we have enough to give away."
Tenley came to the hospital on Christmas morning with 50 "American Girl" dolls, each valued at $100, that were paid for and donated by people all across Colorado and the country.
It's a family project that began a year ago, after Tenley herself saved up the money needed to buy a doll and Ross convinced her to give it away instead.
"We had a conversation with her about taking that money and buying an American Girl doll and donating it to Children's Hospital. And I told her if she did that, I would match it," Ross Hollman said.
"It's a pretty tough thing for a five-year-old to decide, to give up something she wants so badly. But she did."
As Ross Hollman blogged about the project, others took note and started sending donations, which the family then matched.
Last year, they donated 42 dolls.
"Our goal this year was 50 dolls," he said. "And we had an anonymous donor give us $5,000 so we were able to reach it."
For Ross, the gift of watching his daughter learn the value has made for a memorable holiday.
And Tenley, too, understands better than many children her age how giving can actually be the best gift of all.
Asked what she wanted for Christmas, Tenley said, simply: "To make the girls at Children's Hospital happy."
To learn more about Tenley's project and to to donate or contribute, her website is www.tenleyhollman.com