Newtown Dad and Toy Inventor Help Sandy Hook Kids Sleep at Night

SANDY HOOK, Connecticut (February 16^th, 2013) – A Thank You call from Sandy Hook dad Christian Wenis, to toy inventor Geoff Roesch, results in friendship and toy donation to help the children of Sandy Hook sleep at night.

Like many children in Sandy Hook, Chris and Wende Wenis’ five year old son had fears that made bedtime difficult. “Our son was having nightmares and was worried an intruder would enter his room,” says Mrs. Wenis.” We were doing all we could, including family counseling,” Wende continues, “but nighttime was still really hard on our son.”

Determined to help her 5-year old, Wende stumbled across a bedtime toy while researching ways to help her son with his night fears. “We were grasping at straws at that point,” said dad, Chris Wenis, “and to be honest, we didn’t think a toy could help.”

But the toy did help. So much so that the Wenis’ son began to sleep alone again in his room for the first time since December and his bad dreams began to fade. “We were so grateful for the positive change,” said Chris, “that I wanted to let the person who made this toy know the good their invention was doing.”

Geoff Roesch was working at his desk in his small toy invention company in Los Angeles when he got the call. “It was my attorneys on the line” said Geoff, “and they told me to sit down, because they had something important to explain.” Mr. Roesch’s attorneys told him they had been contacted by a parent from Sandy Hook who wanted to speak with him about the inventor’s new bedtime toy, Starshine Watchdogs. “I had no idea why a parent from Sandy Hook would want to talk with me,” said Geoff. “I was nervous actually, but of course I took the call.”

The phone call lasted over an hour and by the end, the Newtown dad and toy inventor were determined to do something good together. “The call was the most humbling and meaningful thing that has ever happened to me as a toy creator,” said Geoff. “We’re just a three person company, but we work incredibly hard to make good toys. We never imagined though, that one of our toys might be used for something as meaningful and important as helping the families in Sandy Hook.” 

Mr. Wenis explained to Mr. Roesch all the community was doing to help the children of Newtown and asked if Starshine Watchdogs might be used in local therapy groups and within families that needed the toys. The two men immediately set to work organizing a donation, with other members of town joining the effort.

Enter Robin Fitzgerald and her team at the Newtown Volunteer Taskforce. “We first heard about the toys from Jen Welton at Reed Intermediate School and Tracy Jaeger, president of Newtown’s PTA,” said Robin. “Parents were beginning to independently talk about the toys so we knew they were something the town needed,” Robin continued. “The community receives incredible support from so many people and this donation was especially useful because of its unique feature and specific purpose to help kids overcome fear at night.”

Mr. Roesch’s small company team at Volcano LLC, including daughter Montana Roesch and business partner Brian Frisch, along with friends Sergei Medvedev and Serge Zabarin, set to work preparing the toys and coordinating the shipment with Jonathan Kelly of Kellytoy, the manufacturer and distributor of Starshine Watchdogs.

“Everyone got to work doing anything needed to get the toys to Newtown,” says Volcano’s Brian Frisch. Even Mr. Roesch’s mother, Helen Williams, helped prepare the toy packages and actually traveled with Geoff in the truck to Sandy Hook to help with the deliveries!

When Tracy Schmid, owner of Sandy Hook’s local toy store, came on board to help connect with different families and schools everything locked together. Mr. Roesch arrived at the Toy Tree toy store in Sandy Hook on Saturday morning, where Geoff and Chris, toy inventor and Newtown dad, finally met in person. “It was really powerful to meet Chris after a month of calls, emails and planning,” said Mr. Roesch. “I was even able to meet Chris’ incredible son.”

So with a truck full of toys, led by the Wenis’ and their son, Mr. Roesch set out to make deliveries to: Sandy Hook Elementary/Chalk Hill, Hawley Elementary, Fraser Woods School, Head O’ Meadow Elementary, Middlegate Elementary, Wesley Learning Center and the Children’s Adventure Center, where Mr. Roesch and his mother were given a personal tour by the Center’s Director, Judy Sims. ”Judy is a pillar of courage and positive energy,” said Ms. Williams. “I was impressed with all she was doing at CAC.” 

“We started the day with a truck full of toys and ended that night with a new family of friends,” said Mr. Roesch. “I think everyone in the world wants to do something to help the families in Sandy Hook,” Geoff continued. “I felt honored to work with the town’s incredibly strong and caring volunteers and community members. I wish all the families, children and parents of Sandy Hook the strength and courage they need to find healing and a place of peace in their lives.”  

*For more information regarding the Wenis Starshine Watchdogs Donation contact: sandyhook@volcano-us.com or www.volcano-us.com

**Facebook page: www.facebook.com/StarshineWatchdogs