Junior Room Crew is a club here at LOHS with the mission of bringing joy to hospitalized children by decorating patients’ rooms. The club represents a section of the organization Once Upon a Room, a non-profit based in Los Angeles, California, with the goal of brightening the lives of hospitalized children who are battling life threatening illnesses or acute trauma. The organization serves 40 hospitals across 15 states. The LOHS Junior Room Crew decorates rooms for children at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland. 

Junior Room Crew provides the opportunity for high school students across the country to volunteer and be a part of Once Upon a Room. Members get the opportunity to fundraise, put on various events and lift the spirits of the patients whose rooms they decorate.

Junior Daphne Heath is a member of the Junior Room Crew here at LOHS and has been participating in Once Upon a Room for many years. Her favorite thing about being a member of Junior Room Crew is “being able to transform someone’s room and being able to see their reaction when they first walk in.” Heath said, “It’s so amazing being able to help people have their own personal touches in their rooms.”

Members of Junior Room Crew get the opportunity to experience many meaningful moments with the patients they get to decorate for. Heath shared her favorite memory from a recent hospital trip: “We got to decorate a boy named Dylan’s room in October and got to see him come in and take it all in for the first time. He went straight to the toys and showed us his costume, and it’s such a special feeling being able to feel like you have a connection with these people.” 

If you’re looking to join a club, love helping people and are looking to make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives, consider joining Junior Room Crew to help spread joy to children at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.