By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

While various organizations collect toys to distribute to children in need for the holidays, Teddy Vatcher, 9, a fourth grader at Sea Road School, approached Principal Kevin Crowley at the beginning of the school year to initiate a toy drive to collect toys for children with cancer.

“I was so impressed when Teddy approached me about the toy drive project,” Crowley said. “He had already put together a package including the toy drive wish list from the Maine Children Cancer Program and he had a good sense of how he felt we might proceed.”

A combination of factors spurred Teddy Vatcher’s interest in helping children with cancer.

Teddy Vatcher’s mother Ginny Vatcher said he started to want to help sick children nearly three years ago when their neighbor’s nephew, who was close to Teddy Vatcher’s age, died from leukemia. When Teddy Vatcher’s cousin started a fundraiser at Kennebunk High School that asked people to sponsor students willing to shave their heads to raise money for sick children, Teddy Vatcher wanted to do something too. 

While he did not want to shave his head to raise money, Teddy Vatcher came up with the toy drive idea instead to benefit children at the Maine Children’s Cancer Program in Scarborough where his neighbor went for treatment. The program provided him with an extensive wish list for toys appropriate for all ages, which he used as a basis for the posters now hanging throughout Sea Road School. 

Children with cancer go to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program for weekly and sometimes daily treatment, Ginny Vatcher said. She said the program asks for only new, unused toys and does not accept toys or videos with violent connotations. 

Maine Children’s Cancer Program Development Coordinator Carol Cooper said the toys donated are put into the “Owie Box,” and children who receive treatment are given the opportunity to pick a gift from the box.

“Getting treatment is not so bad when you get to pick something out after,” Cooper said.

The Maine Children’s Cancer Program receives 50 newly diagnosed children per year and treats at least 200 children in different stages of cancer throughout the year, Cooper said. She said toys coming from children are more meaningful because they are involved helping each other. 

“It means more because it is coming from their heart,” Cooper said. “It’s things like that that just melt your heart.”

Each day during afternoon announcements, Teddy Vatcher reminds his classmates about the toy drive and updates the total collected. As of Oct. 2, more than 40 toys already collected included sketchpads, stickers, puzzles and dolls. Teddy Vatcher said he is surprised to see so many toys after only one week of the drive, but said he does not have a set goal as to how many toys he wants to collect.

“As many as I can get I guess,” Teddy Vatcher said. “People are not normally thinking about the people in the hospital getting their treatments. Especially around the holidays when we are out enjoying it, it is sad they never get to.” 

“It’s a nice way to start off the school year,” Ginny Vatcher said. “And it gets people thinking about these children before the holiday rush comes.” 

While he has not set a deadline for toy donations, Teddy Vatcher plans to continue the toy drive until the end of October. Meanwhile, he is inspiring other students in the Kennebunk area to help. The Vatcher’s neighbor’s daughter Kate Sprague, a third grader at Kennebunk Elementary School, has initiated a toy drive there as well, Ginny Vatcher said. 

So far, Teddy Vatcher said the donations have come from his classmates, but he wants the community to get involved to.

“Anybody can bring toys in. Just drop them off with the secretary in the main office and she’ll take care of it,” Teddy Vatcher said.