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HSCHS graduate helps with toy program

There is nothing more special than the sound of a child’s laughter playing with their new toys at Christmas.

Something we may not think about though, are the children who are in need of adaptive devices just to exist, much less enjoy something so simple as a toy from Santa.

Adaptive technology is out there, but the costs of such toys are often prohibitive for families. A simple toy like a “Tickle Me Elmo” may be $25 in the store, but in order to make Elmo adaptive for a special child, that cost can climb to $100 or more.

One Hot Springs County High School graduate, Gavin Philips, is working with a group known as Santa’s Little Hackers, to bring adaptive toys to children at Christmas.

Created by MaxMods, Santa’s Little Hackers work to modify toys for children living with disabilities.

The company founders were searching for an adaptive toy for their own son. On the shelf, unadapted, the toy was $15. From an online store, the adapted version was $80. They bought the unadapted model, took it home, and with a few dollars in parts and a little time, they created a switch-adapted toy for a fraction of the cost.

And Santa’s Little Hackers were born.

A group of therapists, parents and technology whizzes gathered together to make a difference in the lives of children.

Philips said this is the fifth year the hackers have gathered. This year, more than 200 volunteers in Thornton, Colo. adapted 2,000 toys in a single day and shipped them to all 50 states and 22 foreign countries.

Philips, who is an electrical engineer, said it is part of what he does, adapting things, so being a part of this project just made sense to him.

The volunteers divided into working groups with some unpackaging toys, others taking them apart and still more doing the adaptations like switches, pull strings and puff tubes. Everything was reassembled with plenty of folks sewing stuffed animals back together and packaging them up to ship out.

“It all works like a well-oiled machine,” Philips said. “They get donations of toys as well as monetary donations and then we put it all together.”

Philips said he gets great back up from his peers with this, too. “Its really a blending of skills.”

While it is wonderful the children are getting Christmas presents, they are also receiving a gift that will help them throughout their lives.

Perhaps a child is needing to learn the repetitive motion of pressing a switch – the adaptive toy provides the motivation to learn that. The toys not only engage the child, they help them with life skills.

The toys cost the families nothing except the few minutes it takes to sign their child up on the website.

If you would like more information on this wonderful program, visit their website at santaslittlehackers.com.

 

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