Volunteers filled the old firehouse in historic downtown Forney on June 8, 2013, to help 7-year-old Emily Hough and Emily's Monkeys make therapeutic sock monkeys. The sock monkeys are then taken to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and given to children in the surgical department.
Since being diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis in 2011, Emily and her family founded Emily's Monkeys and have been making sock monkeys and holding other fundraisers to raise money for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital – giving thanks for the hard work and dedication of the employees, nurses, and doctors.
“A lot of people don't believe me when I tell them how long it takes to make one sock monkey,” said Emily's father Josh Hough. Three hours per sock monkey, each sewn, stuffed, and stitched with care. Typically Emily's Monkeys holds sock monkey making parties with family and close friends but this time they invited the community of Forney.
Not only did the community of Forney show up, but they allowed Emily's Monkeys to make nearly 65 sock monkeys in one day and prep for the completion of another 35. Previously, Emily's Monkeys has given Texas Scottish Rite Hospital a total of approximately 150 monkeys. On Saturday, Emily's Monkeys and the people of Forney almost made that many in a matter of only six hours.
“The hospital is extremely grateful to Emily and her family and all the members of the Forney community who have pulled together to support the patients and families at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital,” said Matt Ferguson, Assistant Administrator at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. Emily's Monkeys and The Hole Thing donuts presented Ferguson with a check for $4,239 from a “donut fundraiser” last week and 4T's BBQ presented a check for $1,227 they raised in a raffle.
The Forney Fire Department also had volunteers at the sock monkey making party. One firefighter, Jason Jacobs, donated a bounce-house equipped with a basketball hoop, miniature obstacle source, and a slide for the event. On his off-duty days, Jacobs owns and operates Fire Station Inflation, a bounce-house rental company in Forney, Texas.
The Hough family has only lived in Forney for less than five years but have already made a lasting lifelong impression on the many people that get to meet Emily and help in her quest to give back to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. "The poeple of Forney are amazing, we're not going anywhere," said Josh Hough.