MADERA, Calif. – Service members from Naval Air Station Lemoore brought holiday cheer to Valley Children’s Hospital, delivering toys to dozens of smiling patients.
More than a dozen members of the Strike Fighter Weapons School Pacific gathered in the hospital’s rotunda, including pilots, aviation ordnancemen, aviation technicians and support staff.
One by one, patients visited with Santa Claus and the service members, who stood beside wagons overflowing with toys for children to choose from.
“I was lucky enough to be brought on last year, and we try to keep this going as a tradition,” said Aviation Ordnanceman First Class Conway. “This is something we all rally behind.”
The school, which dates back to 1963, trains Navy pilots in weapons loading and tactics.
Each year, the team requests toy donations, collects them and delivers them to the hospital. This marked the Navy’s third year bringing gifts to Valley Children’s, giving patients the chance to share their Christmas wishes with Santa before picking out a toy or two.
“This is probably the highlight of our year,” Conway said. “We like to be good stewards of our neighborhood and our area, and who doesn’t like coming up here and seeing the kids?”
The visit was organized by the Valley Children’s Child Life team, which focuses on meeting the developmental needs of hospitalized children.
“Our Child Life team’s mission is to ease the stress of hospitalization for patients,” said Child Life Services Coordinator Bryan Estrada. “A visit from special friends like the team at NAS Lemoore can brighten the patient journey and directly support that mission.”
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