NORTHAMPTON — Ann McEwen and David Thomson have been longtime donors to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, though their donation this year means much more than years past. That’s because they are donating in honor of a dear friend who brought joy to children across the world.
The Northampton residents didn’t know when they moved to the city in 2001 that their neighbor, Elena “Lella” Gandini, would be someone who influenced children’s lives from the United States all the way to Italy where Gandini was born.
McEwen and Thomson dedicated their donation to Gandini this year, who died in June at the age of 90.
Gandini was the author of Italian fairytales, academic work on early childhood education and children’s books that she translated into English after moving to the U.S. in 1972, when she married her husband Lester Little, a professor at Smith College.
The two couples quickly became friends, traveling back to Gandini’s home country together.
“She was the most playful woman you could imagine,” McEwen said. “We went traveling with her and her husband.”
The author and researcher didn’t just transform children’s lives through her writing, but also on a personal level by being one of the most caring people McEwen and Thomson ever met.
“She herself was just such a fun, interesting and creative person to be around,” Thomson said.
Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the Toy Fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers worth $65 to qualifying families for each child from age 1 to 14.
McEwen and Thomson want their donation to bring a little light to a child’s life, just like their dear friend did so often.
“We have such gratitude ourselves for all that we have and it feels fabulous to give a little towards all the kids in the area,” Thomson said.
Once moving to the U.S., Gandini saw a difference in early childhood education styles. She championed the Reggio Emilia view of children and teachers that encouraged ready to engage relationships, listening and learning together.
“Her whole approach was that kids lead the way and the teachers facilitate,” Thomson said.
Gandini mixed that approach with her love for nature, often spending time and being heavily influenced by the outdoors. McEwen and Thomson said Gandini would often sing Italian nursery rhymes and songs.
Thomson recalled one of his favorite memories of Gandini, back during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gandini would leave a natural gift, whether it was a rock or a leaf, everyday for her neighbors to find when they returned home.
“We love to just keep helping make kids happy by giving them that little bit of joy during the holidays,” McEwen said about the Toy Fund.
To be eligible for the Toy Fund, families must live in any Hampshire County community except Ware, or in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury and Leverett, and in Holyoke in Hampden County.
The following stores are participating this year: A2Z Science and Learning Store, 57 King St., Northampton; Blue Marble/Little Blue, 150 Main St., Level 1, Northampton; High Five Books, 141 N. Main St., Florence; The Toy Box, 201 N. Pleasant St., Amherst; Comics N More, 64 Cottage St., Easthampton; Once Upon A Child,1458 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Plato’s Closet, 1472 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, 227 Russell St., Hadley; Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., Village Commons, South Hadley; The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Road, Amherst; Holyoke Sporting Goods Co., and 1584 Dwight St. No. 1, Holyoke.
