With Valentine’s Day coming up, one can’t help but get in the mood to spread some love. Whether it is with a significant other, family, friends or even strangers, it is all about “small acts of true love.”
In Moorestown, Maya DeSumma, 6, and her sister Ava, 5, though small themselves, decided to do a big act of true love.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Maya and Ava held a hot cocoa and warm strawberry milk stand outside their house to raise money for their local food bank as well as collect new Disney’s “Frozen” toys to donate to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. They will be delivering the toys as well as some “Frozen” movies on Valentine’s Day as a “small act of true love.”
Olaf, the funny and loving snowman from the movie, inspired their little slogan, “small acts of true love.”
“It is because of Olaf — he is funny and makes you laugh. It’s like getting hugs and kisses,” Maya said.
“Olaf sees the best in everyone,” Ava said.
While Maya was at CHOP for pneumonia, she and Ava noticed all the toys they use to help distract kids from their difficult procedures were old, and they didn’t have any “Frozen” toys or “Frozen” movies.
“I was sad because I love ‘Frozen’ and I didn’t have any of my toys or movies from home,” Maya said.
Excited about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and wanting to emulate what her teacher from Baker School told her, which was to do something nice for someone on that day, Maya decided the day would be perfect to do a hot cocoa and warm strawberry milk stand to collect money for their local food bank and “Frozen” toys for CHOP, with some help from her sister.
“I wanted to host the stand and collect donations so I won’t be sad or other kids won’t be sad when they are in the hospital,” Maya said.
Speaking to the child life director at CHOP, their idea was approved and blossomed into a whole fundraiser.
The girls made “Frozen” marshmallow treats, painted and decorated the “Frozen” donation box, made signs, picked out the picture for the flyer and made hot cocoa and warm strawberry milk, Ava’s favorite drink. They also played the “Frozen” movie soundtrack to set the mood. Friends and family came from all around to enjoy the treats and help Maya and Ava fulfill their goal.
“I loved and liked that so many of my friends came and Ms. Andy came,” Maya said. Ms. Andy taught Maya in the Learning Center at Baker last year.
“I liked when we were selling the hot cocoa,” Ava said.
The DeSumma sisters collected $425 plus a box full of new “Frozen” toys to donate. Of the $425, $300 is going to the food bank while $125 will be used toward purchasing “Frozen” movies for the hospital.
Maya hopes the children who use the toys and movies will “feel happy and love them so much,” while Ava hopes they feel “surprised.”
Maya and Ava’s mother Melanie is very proud of her girls. She was in full support of her daughter’s idea from the beginning, happy Maya was thinking about other children in the hospital.
“It made me glad that she is thinking about other kids. She had a tough experience being at the hospital, and it was nice to see she was thinking about others, too,” DeSumma said.
Although the girls collected toys they themselves didn’t have, DeSumma said Maya and Ava didn’t hesitate to throw the toys in the donation box; they were even excited to, and she was really happy to see that.
DeSumma also said it was nice to see her girls working together for a good cause. Sisters Maya and Ava, like Elsa and Anna from “Frozen,” had to come together to accomplish their goal.
“I was really proud at how hard they worked and rallied together as a team to make the hot cocoa stand a success,” DeSumma said.
Although there are no plans for the future as of yet, this may not be the last time you see the DeSumma sisters. There is some talk about having a “Frozen” lemonade stand, though it is not confirmed.
“I want to raise $100 million to help the kids in the hospital and give them money. I’m going to sell ‘Frozen’ cakes, hot cocoa with blue whip cream, my favorite, and ‘Frozen’ blue lemonade with whip cream and umbrellas in it. Olaf loves umbrella drinks,” Maya said.
“We hope to continue in some way, so be on the look out in the future,” DeSumma said.
