Local Toy Drive Brings Holiday Cheer to Six Area Hospitals

Nicholas Koloski of Claremont made a holiday delivery to Mount Ascutney Hospital in Windsor on December 23, when hospital leaders received a cart of toys from his long running annual drive. Hospital CEO Matthew Foster, Chief Nursing Officer Moriah Tidwell, and Director of Nursing Operations Kristie Foster were on hand during the delivery, and Chester Police Chief Tom Williams contributed items gathered by his department.

Koloski began donating toys just over a decade ago, arriving anonymously at the emergency department until staff began to wait for him and learn the story behind the gifts. The project grew out of his gratitude for time spent in a hospital toy room while recovering from eye surgery as a child, and it has since expanded to serve several area facilities.

This year Koloski said he spent about $4,900 purchasing toys, shopping for deals throughout the year and enlisting volunteers to remove stickers and price tags before distribution. Donations account for about 15% of his purchases. In addition to Mount Ascutney Hospital, Koloski distributes toys to Springfield Hospital, Valley Regional Hospital, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, Gifford Medical Center, and New London Hospital.

The donations aim to ease the stress of medical visits for children and families during the holidays, offering small comforts in emergency departments and pediatric units. For hospital staff the toys serve both practical and morale boosting purposes, and local law enforcement participation highlights a broader community commitment to supporting patients and families in moments of need.

The drive illustrates how individual initiative can scale into sustained regional support, combining personal giving, volunteer labor, and municipal participation. Late December deliveries reinforced seasonal goodwill and provided tangible assistance for area hospitals managing higher patient volumes and strained resources during the winter months. The annual effort continued to knit together volunteers, hospital staff, and public agencies to bring a measure of joy to patients across the region.