NICEVILLE, Fla. — The Kiwanis Foundation of Niceville-Valparaiso has donated $8,638 to Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart in memory of Phinley Huisken.
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The donation was presented during the Kiwanis Club’s May 21 meeting by club president JD Cameron to Dr. Jason Foland, the hospital’s president. Also attending were Adrienne Maygarden, president of the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation; Michaela McCarthy, Children’s Miracle Network coordinator; and Jessie Huisken, Phinley’s mother.
Phinley was a four-year-old Crestview child who lost her battle with leukemia in 2022.
According to the Kiwanis Foundation of Niceville-Valparaiso, the funds were raised through community donation drives held at Walmart and Publix stores in Niceville during April and May. Club members volunteered a combined 32 hours collecting donations from the public, raising approximately $2,800.
The club’s board of directors contributed an additional $4,000 from general fundraising efforts, while individual member donations helped bring the final total to $8,638.
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“Our community consistently demonstrates its generosity and compassion for children and families facing difficult medical challenges,” said JD Cameron, president of the Kiwanis Club of Niceville-Valparaiso.
“We are honored to support the incredible work being done at Studer Family Children’s Hospital and to make this contribution in memory of Phinley Huisken.”
The Kiwanis Club of Niceville-Valparaiso has supported the Studer Family Children’s Hospital since 1987 and has contributed more than $144,000 over the years, according to the organization. The club also has a dedicated room named in its honor within the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
In addition to the monetary donation, the club presented 100 Kiwanis Trauma Dolls created by the K-Kids Club at Edge Elementary School. The handmade dolls are used to help young patients communicate where they are experiencing pain and provide comfort during hospital stays.
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“These trauma dolls serve both a medical and emotional purpose,” Mr Cameron added. “They help children feel safer, heard, and supported during some of their most difficult moments.”
The Kiwanis Foundation of Niceville-Valparaiso said it is dedicated to improving the lives of children and strengthening the local community through volunteer service, charitable giving, and youth development programs throughout Northwest Florida.
