Manhattan Girl Scout Troop #70669 Collects Toys and Gift Cards to Help Children and Teens Fighting Cancer

Girl Scouts require the leadership and planning skills necessary to make a positive impact in the community. That is exactly what the members of Manhattan Girl Scout Troop #70669, did when they collected over $200 in gift cards and toys to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation (POTCF). The toys will comfort children and teens fighting cancer across the nation.

The Girl Scout’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place by helping other people who are in need.

Girl Scout Troop Leader Helen Kulhan said, “We try to do a fundraiser every year and this year we wanted to focus on helping children.”

“The Treasure Chest Foundation is especially grateful to Girl Scout Troop #70669 for their gift of service,” said Treasure Chest Founder Colleen Kisel. “Not only do we appreciate the girls’ hard work, but we are so happy to be a part of this wonderful organization which is dedicated to making the world a better place. The Treasure Chest Foundation is a better place because of Girl Scout Troop #70669.”

The POTCF is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and distraction from painful procedures to children and teens diagnosed with cancer by providing a toy, gift or gift certificate in 49 hospitals nationwide. Nowhere else in the nation does such a program exist. CEO Colleen Kisel founded the organization in 1996 after her then seven-year-old son Martin had been diagnosed with leukemia in 1993. Colleen discovered that giving her son a toy after each procedure provided a calming distraction from his pain, noting that when children are diagnosed with cancer their world soon becomes filled with doctors, nurses, chemotherapy drugs, surgeries and seemingly endless painful procedures. Martin celebrated his 23rd anniversary of remission from the disease earlier this year.

If you would like further information about the Treasure Chest Foundation, please contact Colleen Kisel at 708-687-TOYS (8697) or visit the Foundation’s web site at www.treasurechest.org.

Photo caption: The proud members of Manhattan Girl Scout Troop #70669 (standing l-r): Allison Donovan, Megan Baran, Kailyn Schuster and Lily Kulhan
(kneeling middle row l-r): Lindsey Dust, Reese Geiger, Erin Quigley and Emma Haegele, (front row l-r): Joselynn Rust, Riley O'Neill, Makenna Zitkus and Emma Greep display some of the gift cards and toys they collected for kids fighting cancer at the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library.

(not pictured): Madilynn Lukasik