Boy Scout's good deed brings joy to sick kids
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ISSAQUAH -- A local Boy Scout's generous deed is making life just a little bit better for hundreds of sick and injured kids at Overlake Hospital.
Nathan Karren is a freshman at Issaquah High School. The Boy Scout needed to complete a service project before he could graduate to Eagle Scout, and he wanted his project to really make a difference.
While brainstorming ideas, Karren began thinking about his little sister.
"Well, my little sister, she's been to the hospital many times," he said. "And every time she's got a stuffed animal that's helped her, comforted her with stitches and stuff. And so it really touched me, and so i decided to help other kids with that too."
Karren put up flyers around his neighborhood asking for donations, and just a month later he had 652 brand new stuffed animals, which he hand delivered to the hospital on Tuesday night.
Overlake Director of Emergency Services Debbie Luttman said the plush gifts are therapeutic for the kids.
"It's usually very stressful," she said. "Frequently they're very uncomfortable and in pain, and a stuffed animal to hug just gives them so much comfort."
Karren hasn't officially made it to Eagle Scout just yet, but if you ask the kids and staff at Overlake, they'll tell you that nobody is more deserving of the distinction.
Nathan Karren is a freshman at Issaquah High School. The Boy Scout needed to complete a service project before he could graduate to Eagle Scout, and he wanted his project to really make a difference.
While brainstorming ideas, Karren began thinking about his little sister.
"Well, my little sister, she's been to the hospital many times," he said. "And every time she's got a stuffed animal that's helped her, comforted her with stitches and stuff. And so it really touched me, and so i decided to help other kids with that too."
Karren put up flyers around his neighborhood asking for donations, and just a month later he had 652 brand new stuffed animals, which he hand delivered to the hospital on Tuesday night.
Overlake Director of Emergency Services Debbie Luttman said the plush gifts are therapeutic for the kids.
"It's usually very stressful," she said. "Frequently they're very uncomfortable and in pain, and a stuffed animal to hug just gives them so much comfort."
Karren hasn't officially made it to Eagle Scout just yet, but if you ask the kids and staff at Overlake, they'll tell you that nobody is more deserving of the distinction.
