Grace Pettengill Receives an Award for Josh Cares

By Nathan Grant ’16, News Editor

Have you ever stayed overnight at a hospital without your parents? Did a nurse or child life specialist help you cope with the challenges of hospitalization through fun activities? If so, thank Grace Pettengill. As an active volunteer for Josh Cares, Grace raises money for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital child life specialists. These specialists offer support and guidance to children through play and self-expression activities. At any given time, an average of 25+ critically ill children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are alone.

On November 14, Grace received an award for a paper she submitted on volunteering for Josh Cares. Grace explained that “I really enjoy helping children.” By volunteering at Josh Cares, Grace is able to help patients her age who are receiving treatment without parental support. “Helping with Josh Cares has made me thankful that I live with a healthy family, but it has also made me more open to wanting to give,” Grace said. Even though she isn’t with these children in person, Grace still feels as if she can connect with them and make a difference in their world.

This September, Grace held a “Penny Wars” in which all four grades competed to raise the most money. The freshman class won the war and a total of $441.70 was collected in just four days. Grace has collected over $1,500 within the past two years. Grace is also one of the leaders on the Josh Cares Student Advisory Council. Her job is to organize and direct meetings which occur once a month. Grace plans to continue volunteering at Josh Cares and she will be holding more fundraisers next year. (Hint: There may be some type of babysitting service in the near future!)