Wilton Children Fill Toiletry Kits to Help Japan Victims

The expression, “Kids these days!” takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to local youngsters helping out their fellow human beings in trouble.

When two Wilton girls heard the devastating news about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, they immediately came up with an idea to do something within their power to help. They created a project to prepare hygiene kits as a gesture of comfort for disaster victims who have been left with nothing.

"We saw about the tsunami on TV and we heard it was bad, and we wanted to do something," said Hannah Segerson, who thought of the idea with her friend Gerri Fox, who added, "If I was one of the people in Japan I would feel happy to get one of these kits."

The girls called on Gerri’s Girl Scout troop and other friends and met Thursday afternoon to fill kits with personal hygiene items they had collected. Prior to the kit-making event, the kids had made a two-week push calling for donations by distributing notices throughout Cider Mill school.

The response, according to Hannah's mom, Dina Segerson, was more than overwhelming.

"The girls set up collection boxes in each Cider Mill house. We couldn't keep up with the boxes, we had to literally empty them each day, they were overflowing with donated items," she said.

The goal was to fill 100 kits with personal items that included a toothbrush, comb, wash cloth, hand towel and Band-Aids. As of Thursday afternoon, the kids had tripled that with their efforts, and weren't even finished putting all the kits together.

Gerri's mom, Giovanna Fox, was impressed with the effort of the girls and of the entire community.

"We bought out both local Walmarts of nail clippers. We're going back for more of everything."

Segerson also pointed out that any donated items outside the guidelines of the national relief organziation the group was working with would be donated to Wilton Social Services.