Micah Pinson, 15, isn’t concerned with the usual "teen stuff."
"It’s a great satisfaction just to see the kids' faces," Pinson said.
A tenth grader at Corinth Classical Academy in Denton County, Pinson is more into making life a little easier for the patients at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
He said it’s not just about the patients, it’s also about the hospital that helped him when he needed it most as a child. Pinson was born with a condition which left him with three missing fingers on his left hand.
"I actually had some webbing in between my two fingers," Pinson explained. "I could not move my hand much and what the hospital did is just cut it out so that I would have more flexibility in my hand."
Pinson’s diagnosis hasn’t slowed him down. Since he was six he’s hosted a toy drive in North Texas. The first year, he collected 2,000 toys. Fast forward to last year, where the 15-year-old said he collected about 50,000.
"My parents taught me at a young age and I really hope that other kids find the will to give back," Pinson said. "I remember going in at about six just to talk to them and they gave me a toy and as a six-year-old, that’s incredible. [It showed me] they care about me. They see me. They notice me."
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This year, he wants those who donate to also think about the teenagers who are being treated at the hospital.
"Sometimes, they get forgotten during toy drives. So maybe like an iTunes gift card, or something like that," Pinson said.
No matter what the community gives this year, big or small, Pinson said he wants everyone to know, this is much more than a toy drive. It’s a labor of love.
"Maybe some have had a rough day and they just go and see that toy laying there for them. It means a big deal to them," he said.
Micah’s toy drive boxes will be in dozens of locations across our area starting on Nov. 11 through Dec. 20. He will distribute the toys just before Christmas.
ONLINE: Micah Pinson's Toy Drive for Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
