—Courtesy Sheri Schrier, Happy Hats for KidsProject puts smiles on children’s faces
By Don Haines, Woodbine, Md.
From Brave Heart Magazine
When Sheri Schrier, of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., watched her grandmother, her father and her younger brother die of cancer, the pain was almost too much to bear. She watched helplessly as the physical pain of the disease and the emotional trauma of hair loss following chemotherapy devastated her loved ones. But she saw something else, too. There were wounds not readily apparent to anyone, such as loss of self-esteem and feelings of isolation, sadness and fear.
It was then that Sheri realized sick children, in particular, needed something to change their focus, to get their young minds off the everyday routine of hospital life, and to distract them from their pain and discomfort. She also believed sick children need to play and have fun, despite their medical conditions, and that emotional support plays an equally important part in the healing process as medical intervention. An idea was born, and her mission became bringing joy to hospitalized children. Transforming her idea from thought to action would take a lot of hard work and would involve a lot of frustration, but with the help of her husband, Gene, Happy Hats for Kids was founded in 1991.
Sheri had been a hat designer by profession for a long time, but the hats she had in mind for the children would not be for warming their heads or making them look stylish. Instead, the hats she imagined would be created with the sole purpose of evoking laughter – giddy, silly laughter. She wanted hats that would change the somber atmosphere of a pediatric ward into a magical land of enchantment – at least for a little while.
Sheri and Gene knew from the beginning that in order to produce the millions of needed Happy Hats, a lot of labor would be required, and it had to be labor that wouldn’t cost a lot of money. While there were some local companies that had been generous with financial support, the big question was how to get the hats made. There was only one place where inexpensive labor could be found – in state prisons in California. The first prison that showed any interest, and that had a sewing facility, was The California Institute for Women, in Chino. Since the first prison signed on, other prisons in other states have joined the effort as well.
In 2002, Happy Hats for Kids came to The Maryland House of Correction, in Jessup. Employees and inmates alike were enthusiastic about the program. Officials decided to get involved to allow the inmates an opportunity to give something meaningful back to the community. The inmates make the hats in the Garment Plant at the House of Correction, and they work for nothing. All shipping expenses are paid by Happy Hats.
Charles Keim, manager of the Garment Plant, says Happy Hats is a great program, and those who work under his direction wholeheartedly agree.
“I get a kick out of making something that will make a sick kid laugh, especially one who might be terminally ill,” says one prisoner. Keim says they’ve turned out more than 15,000 hats so far.
The hats are distributed four times a year on various holidays, and the hats are styled with themes for that particular holiday. For instance, if you visit a pediatric ward on April Fool’s Day, you’ll find both patients and staff, including doctors, decked out in a Jester’s hat, complete with jingling bells. Fourth of July brings about Uncle Sam hats, and the Mad Hatter hat celebrates Halloween. A Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat can be found come January, as children tend to be down just after the Christmas holidays, and Happy Hats figures a Dr. Seuss hat is just the thing to get them smiling again. And while the children laugh at each other on Happy Hat day, it’s the doctors and nurses who create the most merriment. The sight of a staid surgeon making his rounds in a Court Jester or Dr. Seuss hat produces plenty of laughter from the children.
As Happy Hats for Kids grows, testimonials flow in from all over the country. One California mother speaks glowingly about the program, saying, “From a mother’s heart, I want to thank you for brightening my son Adam’s day on July 2. Your red, white and blue hat brought a smile to his face, and instantly lifted his spirits. He also thought it was great to see his doctor wearing a funny hat. It took some of the pain out of his doctor’s visit. The entire atmosphere of that ward was transformed by those hats.”
A pediatrician was effusive in his compliments: “Having a cancer-ridden, balding child connected to multiple IV bags smile and giggle with excitement is a rare and treasured sight. Recently, a Happy Hat visit was made to the waiting room of our surgical center. Here, at their worst, were parents waiting for news of their child’s operation. When Happy Hats appeared, we could all see their faces relax and their demeanor change. If that wasn’t enough, seeing doctors and nurses wearing Happy Hats on top of their scrub hats was enough to lighten anyone’s load.”
One prison warden who visited a hospital on Happy Hat day had an unforgettable experience: “There was a boy in his room with a look of despair on his face. I took a Happy Hat off my head and put it on his. Suddenly, a smile began to emerge and grow from ear to ear, then he laughed out loud. When I left the room, there was a nurse standing there crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said the little boy had not smiled or laughed since his admission to the hospital. It was like a miracle. The Happy Hat once again had accomplished its mission.”
The most powerful testimonies, however, come from those who labor behind prison walls, turning out the thousands of Happy Hats. One woman, a prisoner for 14 years, said, “When they first told me about Happy Hats, I said no. But when they said it was for sick kids, something clicked. It got to the point where I’d lay awake at night thinking that the more hats I could make, the more those sick kids would have something funny to laugh at. Happy Hats has changed my life. I don’t get into trouble anymore …”
It’s obvious that the children are not the only ones to benefit. ~BH
— For more information on Happy Hats for Kids, visit the Web site http://www.happyhatsforkids.com/.
By Don Haines, Woodbine, Md.
From Brave Heart Magazine
When Sheri Schrier, of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., watched her grandmother, her father and her younger brother die of cancer, the pain was almost too much to bear. She watched helplessly as the physical pain of the disease and the emotional trauma of hair loss following chemotherapy devastated her loved ones. But she saw something else, too. There were wounds not readily apparent to anyone, such as loss of self-esteem and feelings of isolation, sadness and fear.
It was then that Sheri realized sick children, in particular, needed something to change their focus, to get their young minds off the everyday routine of hospital life, and to distract them from their pain and discomfort. She also believed sick children need to play and have fun, despite their medical conditions, and that emotional support plays an equally important part in the healing process as medical intervention. An idea was born, and her mission became bringing joy to hospitalized children. Transforming her idea from thought to action would take a lot of hard work and would involve a lot of frustration, but with the help of her husband, Gene, Happy Hats for Kids was founded in 1991.
Sheri had been a hat designer by profession for a long time, but the hats she had in mind for the children would not be for warming their heads or making them look stylish. Instead, the hats she imagined would be created with the sole purpose of evoking laughter – giddy, silly laughter. She wanted hats that would change the somber atmosphere of a pediatric ward into a magical land of enchantment – at least for a little while.
Sheri and Gene knew from the beginning that in order to produce the millions of needed Happy Hats, a lot of labor would be required, and it had to be labor that wouldn’t cost a lot of money. While there were some local companies that had been generous with financial support, the big question was how to get the hats made. There was only one place where inexpensive labor could be found – in state prisons in California. The first prison that showed any interest, and that had a sewing facility, was The California Institute for Women, in Chino. Since the first prison signed on, other prisons in other states have joined the effort as well.
In 2002, Happy Hats for Kids came to The Maryland House of Correction, in Jessup. Employees and inmates alike were enthusiastic about the program. Officials decided to get involved to allow the inmates an opportunity to give something meaningful back to the community. The inmates make the hats in the Garment Plant at the House of Correction, and they work for nothing. All shipping expenses are paid by Happy Hats.
Charles Keim, manager of the Garment Plant, says Happy Hats is a great program, and those who work under his direction wholeheartedly agree.
“I get a kick out of making something that will make a sick kid laugh, especially one who might be terminally ill,” says one prisoner. Keim says they’ve turned out more than 15,000 hats so far.
The hats are distributed four times a year on various holidays, and the hats are styled with themes for that particular holiday. For instance, if you visit a pediatric ward on April Fool’s Day, you’ll find both patients and staff, including doctors, decked out in a Jester’s hat, complete with jingling bells. Fourth of July brings about Uncle Sam hats, and the Mad Hatter hat celebrates Halloween. A Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat can be found come January, as children tend to be down just after the Christmas holidays, and Happy Hats figures a Dr. Seuss hat is just the thing to get them smiling again. And while the children laugh at each other on Happy Hat day, it’s the doctors and nurses who create the most merriment. The sight of a staid surgeon making his rounds in a Court Jester or Dr. Seuss hat produces plenty of laughter from the children.
As Happy Hats for Kids grows, testimonials flow in from all over the country. One California mother speaks glowingly about the program, saying, “From a mother’s heart, I want to thank you for brightening my son Adam’s day on July 2. Your red, white and blue hat brought a smile to his face, and instantly lifted his spirits. He also thought it was great to see his doctor wearing a funny hat. It took some of the pain out of his doctor’s visit. The entire atmosphere of that ward was transformed by those hats.”
A pediatrician was effusive in his compliments: “Having a cancer-ridden, balding child connected to multiple IV bags smile and giggle with excitement is a rare and treasured sight. Recently, a Happy Hat visit was made to the waiting room of our surgical center. Here, at their worst, were parents waiting for news of their child’s operation. When Happy Hats appeared, we could all see their faces relax and their demeanor change. If that wasn’t enough, seeing doctors and nurses wearing Happy Hats on top of their scrub hats was enough to lighten anyone’s load.”
One prison warden who visited a hospital on Happy Hat day had an unforgettable experience: “There was a boy in his room with a look of despair on his face. I took a Happy Hat off my head and put it on his. Suddenly, a smile began to emerge and grow from ear to ear, then he laughed out loud. When I left the room, there was a nurse standing there crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said the little boy had not smiled or laughed since his admission to the hospital. It was like a miracle. The Happy Hat once again had accomplished its mission.”
The most powerful testimonies, however, come from those who labor behind prison walls, turning out the thousands of Happy Hats. One woman, a prisoner for 14 years, said, “When they first told me about Happy Hats, I said no. But when they said it was for sick kids, something clicked. It got to the point where I’d lay awake at night thinking that the more hats I could make, the more those sick kids would have something funny to laugh at. Happy Hats has changed my life. I don’t get into trouble anymore …”
It’s obvious that the children are not the only ones to benefit. ~BH
— For more information on Happy Hats for Kids, visit the Web site http://www.happyhatsforkids.com/.
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