MRHC AirCare helicopter delivers toys for annual event
Dec. 1—Donations of toys for the upcoming Reed Marcum Toy Giveaway collected by the McAlester Regional Health Center arrived by helicopter at the Southeast Expo Center.
McAlester High School senior Reed Marcum, family members and other volunteers were there to collect the toys.
The toy donations were part of a coordinated effort involving the MRHC, the MRHC Foundation and AirCare, the emergency medical flight service with a base at MRHC.
Plans call for the toys — along with lots of others — to be given away free to local children during J. Michael Miller"s Toy Giveaway, set from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Ragan Auto, 306 E. Wyandotte Ave.
Reed began working with the toy giveaway six years ago, with Miller, his stepfather, and his mother, Angie Miller.
He looked impressed as the helicopter hovered over the Expo Center's parking lot on the west side of the building, then touched down. After the blades stopped rotating, Reed and a fellow introduced as Santa Claus approached the helicopter to find it filled with toys.
Reed appeared impressed by the helicopter delivery.
"It's definitely amazing," he said. "A few years ago, I never thought we would have toys given away from a helicopter."
AirCare helicopter nurse Ken Sparks, paramedic Christian Geiger and pilot/Base Aviation Manager Jason Norman helped unload the toys from the helicopter and hand them to Reed and his pal dressed in white and red. They both had the same goal — making sure they can give toys to as many McAlester-area children as they can.
MRHC Foundation Executive Director Chris Plunkett said the toys were donated by the MRHC, the MRHC Foundation and AirCare, then placed in the helicopter for transport to the Expo Center.
Plunkett said he asked AirCare about conducting a toy drive. When he got a positive response, Plunkett related how he asked "What if I reach out and find a place for delivery by helicopter?" That led to the selection of the Southeast Expo Center parking lot on Nov. 28 as the drop-off point and the selection of the J. Michael Miller Toy Giveaway as the recipient of toys collected through the toy drive.
"It gives us an opportunity to partner with another non-profit entity," said Plunkett.
AirCare Base Medical Manager Courtney Harrison said AirCare was glad to assist with the toy drive.
"We asked them if we could help out," she said. "We're doing it collectively."
In addition to helping with the J. Michael Miller Toy Giveaway, Reed has a record of helping others in number of ways. A member of the Oklahoma 4-H Club Hall of Fame, he often helped other through his 4-H projects.
He started the 501 (c) 3 Hudson Strong Foundation to raise scholarship funds for students planning to enter the medical field as well as for families who are facing or who have faced traumatic situations. He started Foundation in honor of Hudson Campbell, the 2-year-old child of Kelley and Michael Campbell. Hudson died of pediatric cancer complications in 2018.
He has also honored Kenna Faith Mattiado, who died after being born with congenital heart disease.
Reed also started an auction through the foundation that raised a total of more than $50,000 for the wife of the late McAlester police officer Danny Kelley and for Leeann Yandell, a Lakewood Christian School teacher diagnosed with cancer.
They, along with Reed's brother, the late U.S. Army Sgt. Miles Tarron, and Reed's grandmother will be honored when the toy giveaway is held in their memory this year.
As a surprise, Reed was given a helicopter ride in his brother's honor on Monday, the one-year anniversary of his passing.
MRHC Marketing Coordinator Michelle Priddle rode in with the helicopter crew to help make the toy delivery to the Expo Center. She spoke of how impressed she felt by how well everything came together to transfer the toys to Reed for the J. Michael Miller Toy Giveaway.
"I think it's amazing they collaborated with everybody," she said. "It's a wonderful time of year."
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com
