When Nicholas Koloski started donating toys to Mount Ascutney Hospital just over a decade ago, he said he would pull up to the emergency department, unload the gifts, and depart unnoticed.
A couple of years in, he found hospital staff waiting for him, curious about the anonymous donor. His toy donations began out of gratitude for the comfort he received in a hospital toy room while recovering from eye surgery as a child.
Koloski said he purchases the toys himself, shopping for deals throughout the year, this year spending about $4,900, and enlisting the help of volunteers to remove stickers and price tags. Donations account for about 15% of his purchases.
He now distributes to Mount Ascutney Hospital, Springfield Hospital, Valley Regional Hospital, Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, Gifford Medical Center, and New London Hospital.