Two events funded by Food Lion this fall taught area children important health and safety lessons.

On Sept. 22, nearly 700 preschoolers and kindergarteners attended the second annual Petersburg Health and Safety Day at the Petersburg Sports Complex, and on Oct. 6 more than 1,000 children gathered on Children’s Hospital’s front lawn for the 16th annual Fire Prevention Day.

Highlights of the Petersburg event were a Fire Safety House provided by the Hopewell Fire Department, a puppet show about disability awareness by Kids on the Block, and Children’s Hospital’s Dental Outreach Program, which presented information about dental health designed to meet the Standards of Learning health requirement in Virginia. This dental health program was recently expanded with a donation from Kohl’s Department Stores and will now reach almost 9,000 children in the Richmond and Tri-Cities areas.

Fire Prevention Day activities included having pictures and fingerprints taken, dialing 911 and learning how to properly fit and wear a bicycle helmet. The event also featured safety houses that simulated emergency fire situations, a fire hydrant robot, a puppet show, ambulance tours, the police K9 unit and mounted guards.

Hospital, special event and auxiliary board volunteers were honored at the 33rd annual Volunteer Banquet on Oct. 22.

More than 60 guests attended the evening celebration, which included dinner and remarks from hospital Chaplain Rev. Dr. Cathie Stivers who spoke about the importance of volunteers working toward a common goal. Eleven volunteers received special service awards, and one received a Helping Hands pin for continued commitment to the hospital and its volunteer program.

Nearly 2,000 teddy bears arrived at Children’s Hospital by motorcycle on Nov. 7 as part of the 27th annual Teddy Bear Run.

Organized by the Blue Knights of Virginia, the annual event involved a caravan of bears and bikes traveling from Colonial Harley-Davidson to Children’s Hospital during the afternoon ride. A $17,765 donation representing proceeds from a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was also made to Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Bears were divided between the hospital’s Therapy Centers and main location to be distributed to patients throughout the fall. This year’s event was hosted by the Blue Knights, Colonial Harley-Davidson and Dr. Pepper.

Children’s Hospital and Full Circle Grief Center are partnering to offer grief support groups for children ages 6 - 18 as well as their parents/caregivers. Groups will be available for children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, caregiver, or other significant person. The Hands On Healing groups are structured around an age-appropriate curriculum, open discussion, peer support, art, crafts, music, journaling, and play. The counselors work to help the group members tell their story of loss, identify their feelings, establish effective coping strategies and communication skills, and discover ways to remember their loved ones. Click here to download a flyer with more information, including meeting dates and times.

The seventh annual American Family Fitness 10K/5K Walk/Run and Kids Mascot Mile was held on and around the grounds of Children’s Hospital on Oct. 10.

Nearly 800 runners and walkers and 50 children participated in the Saturday morning event, which raised $55,000 for the hospital’s Recreation Therapy Program and uncompensated care.

The Mascot Mile, a one-mile run around the hospital for kids ages 5-10, included many familiar faces such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, Bonnie from Bon Secours Health System and the Randolph Macon College Yellow Jacket. The event also included a stroller decorating contest, health fair, children’s festival and post-race breakfast.

Since 1997, American Family Fitness has raised more than $335,000 for Children’s Hospital Foundation. Event sponsors included WTVR Channel 6, Cox Radio, B&B Printing, Unisource, Richmond BMW, Pediatric Connection, Emerald Construction, Qdoba, Fast Signs, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dasani.

The 38th anniversary Dong’s Martial Arts Tournament, and the 13th to benefit Children’s Hospital Foundation, was held on Nov. 7 at L.C. Bird High School.

Students from Dong’s Virginia and out-of-state locations competed in different categories related to Tae Kwon Do and Pro Tae Kwon Do–forms and free sparring.

Dong’s schools teach the ancient arts of self defense, Tae Kwon Do, Kum Do, Hap Ki Do and Um Yang Do. Founded by Grand Master Seung Dong, the event is a celebration of the true spirit of martial arts, the willingness to help others as well as yourself. Grand Master Dong has achieved the highest degree in martial arts, the ninth degree black belt. He also won “King of the World Speed Champions” in the first Grand Master Tournament and won a second Grand Master title in Swordsmanship in 2005.

This year’s tournament raised $24,369 for Children’s Hospital Foundation and has collected more than $240,000 in 13 years.

Wyeth, a pharmaceutical and health care products company that recently merged with Pfizer, donated $25,000 to Children’s Hospital Foundation this fall.

“The health of children is a primary focus for Pfizer across our product portfolio. In addition, this support is fundamental with one of our core values of community involvement,” said Scott Denicourt, Managing Director of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, formerly Wyeth CH, and a member of the hospital’s board of trustees, of the third annual gift.

In honor of the 112th anniversary of its founding at Longwood University in Farmville, Va., Kappa Delta Sorority made a $25,000 gift to Children’s Hospital Foundation. The gift will be applied to the Kappa Delta Fund, which is used to support the hospital’s patients.

This fall the Denny Hamlin Foundation, through Denny Hamlin Speed Wash locations in Midlothian and Fredericksburg, displayed patient artwork, collected donations and donated a portion of each car wash to Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The goal of Hamlin’s “Make It Happen” Campaign was to raise funds to purchase new outpatient therapy equipment for the hospital. Drawings were completed by children during their visits to the hospital’s Recreation Therapy Department and displayed at the car wash locations from Sept. 11 through Nov. 11.

The Denny Hamlin Foundation donated $20,000 earlier this year to fund a therapy gym at the hospital’s new Bon Air location, which will open in December.

Instead of asking for traditional gifts, 15 area children have celebrated their birthdays since 2008 by requesting donations for others through the Peter Pan Children’s Fund Birthday Club. By registering their birthday party at www.peterpanchildrensfund.org and selecting Children’s Hospital Richmond as their beneficiary charity, children receive a party kit with invitations to ask guests to make a gift in their name.

To date, Children’s Hospital Foundation has received $3,789 in donations. For more information, call 804-228-5920.

Leslie Wyatt, President & CEO, James F. Jollay, Vice Chairman of the hospital’s Community Liaison Committee of the Board of Trustees, and Kendall Lee, Government Relations and Advocacy Coordinator, represented Children’s Hospital at the National Association of Children’s Hospitals’ (N.A.C.H) VIP Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. in September.

Representatives from 47 children’s hospitals attended the event to meet with legislators about issues affecting children’s healthcare during the final decision-making process of the Congressional session. This year’s VIP Advocacy Day focused on increasing Medicaid reimbursements to physicians and pediatric specialists, encouraging careers in pediatric healthcare to reduce workforce shortages, and improving financial support to independent children’s teaching hospitals.

Beginning in December, patients at Children’s Hospital’s Midlothian Therapy Center in South Richmond will receive services at the new Bon Air Therapy Center.

Located in the Sheltering Arms Bon Air facility near Buford Road and Midlothian Turnpike approximately five miles from the current site, the new 5,300-square-foot therapy center will have two gyms, two sensory motor areas, seven private treatment spaces and a psychology office, offering more space for each child seen in therapy.

Since the current Polo Parkway location opened in Oct. 2002, demand for pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy services nearly doubled from 4,494 visits in fiscal year 2003 to 9,086 visits in fiscal year 2009. Psychology services were added in 2005, with approximately 750 psychology visits completed in Midlothian each year.

In addition to increased treatment areas, the Bon Air location will feature a larger waiting room with a dedicated children’s nook, additional bathrooms and more staff and office space. Supported through donations from the Denny Hamlin Foundation and the Junior Board, the Bon Air Therapy Center serves children from the counties of Chesterfield, Powhatan, Amelia, Cumberland, Nottoway, Dinwiddie, Prince Edward and the City of Richmond.