0 Maggie’s Baggies Written and Illustrated by: Madison Frye

Maggie’s Baggies Written and Illustrated by: Madison Frye Children’s Press A Division of Canyon Ridge Publishing Austin, Texas

Dedicated to: Brianna, who founded Pennies of Love, to provide hospitalized children, similar to her younger brother, Dillon, with arts and crafts.

3 I sit,and sit, in the hospital waiting room.

4 I watch as… Nurses pass by, New people enter,And others leave.

5 I hear… the quiet murmur of doctors behind the walls and the rhythmic open and shut of the big wooden doors.

6 Sitting in a stiff, uncomfortable wooden chair in the hospital waiting room, each day, for weeks on end gets really old…

7 But I am willing to do it for my little brother, Jim.

8 Every couple of weeks, Jim ends up in the hospital. He’ll be out for a few weeks and then back in again.

9 The doctors say he has something wrong with his white blood cells…

10 so it is easy for him to catch any germs that come his way.

11 One ordinary day, while sitting in the hospital waiting room, I began to wish I had some markers and paper to draw with.

12 But then, a thought entered my mind…

13 What about the sick children who have to lie in bed all day with no one to talk to and nothing to do? Don’t they get bored too?

14 I began to sympathize with them and started thinking of things I could do to help improve their stay at the hospital. I thought long and hard… Throughout the days in the hospital waiting room… And before going to bed each night.

15 As I brainstormed, my thoughts drifted to my birthday, which was only two weeks away.

16 Even though birthdays are supposed to be happy and fun, I knew mine would be just the opposite…

17 m e l a n a n d l o n e l y c o h l y,

18 as Jim was too sick to come home and celebrate with me.

19 Without him, my birthday would be nothing.

20 I thought for a minute. “What would you like for your birthday this year, Maggie?” my mother asked as we drove to visit Jim. ?

21 “A new bike, rollerblades, a board game?” Mom prompted me.

22 “I don’t want anything for myself,” I said confidently. “I want money to provide kids in the hospital with art supplies, puzzles books, and card games. If I am bored sitting in the waiting room, imagine how bored they are lying in bed all day, all alone. I want to make them feel more at home.”

23 “What a great idea!” Mom exclaimed. “How kind you are to think of others.”

24 On my birthday, I ripped the beautiful pink paper off of a small box.

25 I carefully lifted off the lid and…

26 low and behold, the box held a stack of money that would help me achieve my dream! My wish had come true!

27 The next morning, I found myself awake extra early as I was super excited about going to the store to start making fun bags.

28 After my mom and I arrived at the toy store, I dashed happily from aisle to aisle, looking for the perfect items to fill the bags.

29 My birthday money was enough to fill five bags, which I delivered to five lucky children at the hospital the next morning.

30 Each time I handed a child their “fun bag”, both of us were warmed inside. This is indeed a birthday I will never forget! Seeing that smile of thanks and acknowledgement encouraged me to make more bags.

31 However, first, I’d need money…

32 I ran bake sales, Maggie’s Bake Sale Proceeds benefit hospitalized children

33 Had lemonade stands, Maggie’s Lemonade Proceeds benefit hospitalized children

34 Held neighborhood bike-a-thons,

35 And raised awareness throughout the community.

36 I made more and more bags. What started out as a small dream had become a HUGE SUCCESS!

37 “Why don’t you start an organization?” Dad suggested one morning at breakfast. “What a great idea!” I exclaimed.

38 This morning, I found myself awake extra early, as I was super excited to get my new organization approved.

39 Now, my dad and I are off to the Secretary of State’s office where I will complete the forms required to operate my new business.

40 Hopefully, my dream will become reality so I can continue to reach out to children in hospitals across the country, just like my brother, through my new organization, Maggie’s Baggies. Maggie’s Baggies

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