Threads of Generosity

“You have two hands to help – what will you do to make a positive difference with those hands today?”

Corrine Thiel was a teacher for more than 40 years – she always wanted to encourage students to consider the impact they have on their community with their own two hands. Corrine knows a thing or two about impact. As the President of the Oglethorpe Lions Club, she coordinates donations of pajamas for children in the hospital at Piedmont Athens Regional. Along with other Lions Club members, Corrine assembles the pajamas in individual bags, labels and packages them for Deanna Warren, Piedmont Athens Regional’s Child Life Specialist, to disperse to any child in need of comfort at the hospital. Since 2018, the Oglethorpe Lions Club has donated more than 450 pajama packs to Piedmont Athens Regional. Whether children come through the Emergency Department and require fresh clothing, are spending an extended period in the Pediatrics Department, or maybe have a brief stay at the Outpatient Surgery Center, we want every child to feel comfortable while in the hospital. The inspiration behind these donations comes from Corrine’s own experience with her grandson, Alexander, at the age of six. Alexander experienced complications from kidney cancer and required extended periods of time at the hospital. While at the hospital he received several toys and stuffed animals. One day Corrine asked the staff “how will we pay for all of these toys?”. The staff explained that the toys and animals came from generous community donations and were provided at no charge to make Alexander’s stay a little more joyful. From that moment, Corrine knew she wanted to give back to her community hospital that way.

In addition to the Oglethorpe Lions Club pajamas, coloring books and crayon donations, Corrine has inspired other local groups to give back. Covered with Love, is a group of 32 people who come together to knit and crochet afghans for children and adults in the hospital. Since 2022 they have made nearly 150 afghans which take anywhere between three to four weeks to crochet. Covered with Love was started by Virginia Sanders after she felt a calling to share her crochet knowledge with other people, including youth, to use for good. Deanna recently encountered the experience of a young child who arrived at the Emergency Department after a trauma-related incident, requiring the cutting of his clothes to assess his injuries. He was incredibly upset about losing his beloved Spiderman shirt and not having a replacement shirt to wear home. Fortunately, with the support of the Oglethorpe County Lions Club and Covered with Love, Deanna was able to gift him a Spiderman pajama pack along with a cozy afghan. This thoughtful gesture brought him comfort and joy, leaving his parents in tears of gratitude. Both Oglethorpe County Lions Club and Covered with Love are inspired to continue giving back in this special way, know they are contributing locally to make a positive difference for patients and the 17+ counties Piedmont Athens Regional serves.