Levittown resident Eileen Kostolni wanted to make a difference this year in the lives of children and families who are in local hospitals and shelters during the holiday season. In years past, she and her two children would collect some stuffed animals and bring them to a local hospital on Christmas Eve. This year Kostolni is asking residents throughout Nassau County to join in the effort to make a child's holiday season brighter with a new stuffed animal.

Last year, she planned to embark on this project and decided to do so this year after taking a course at Landmark Education for which she needs to do a community project. She wanted to branch out the effort this year and is opening it up to residents all over Long Island who wish to donate either a stuffed animal or their time.

"After 9/11 it was like we realized that we need to make the difference, we can't wait for somebody else to do it," she said. "So to me it was just a perfect way to put some magic in the air this holiday season."

Kostolni is collecting any kind of new or like-new stuffed animals and plans to distribute them, together with volunteers, on Christmas Eve. She noted that she has over a dozen volunteers from all over Long Island already, but more are needed. Several Scouting troops are also participating by collecting for the cause and searching for volunteers.

Kostolni said she needs volunteers not just to distribute the items on Christmas Eve, but also to help wash the like-new animals that are donated prior to their distribution.

Residents who are interested in donating either a stuffed animal (and finding out where collection boxes will be set up at a particular time) or their time may contact Kostolni by sending her an e-mail at operationteddy@hotmail.com or by calling 456-2895. Kostolni asked that residents who know of a particular local shelter that can be visited on Christmas Eve contact her and let her know. Residents may also visit http://jedhian.0catch.com/opteddy.html, a website designed by her son to help spread the word about the project.

Kostolni said she hopes to raise approximately 2,000 stuffed animals prior to Christmas Eve, and estimated that she currently has collected between 400 and 500. She said that doing this project in an effort to help children is incredibly important.

"To me, there is nothing more wonderful than touching the heart of a child. Life doesn't get any better than that," Kostolni said. A flier she was distributing around several communities read, "I believe in children and the gift they are to the world. Children need to be reminded of their specialness - especially kids in hospitals at Christmastime who feel like the magic of the season has let them down."