Teen angels

Anya Cullen, (center) got inspired when she visited Bayside’s Saint Mary’s Hospital for Children last month, with members of the St. Andrew Avellino Choir for a special holiday concert.
The plucky 13-year-old recruited school friends, Lauren Velez, Patrick Kowpak, and Katie McCreesh (not pictured) to do something with their talent. Anya and the gang put in hours of rehearsal before venturing out on two chilly evenings to carol door to door around Flushing.
The goal was to collect enough to buy toys for the children with special needs and life-limiting conditions who were receiving care at Saint Mary’s. “It was not part of a school project - it was just a bunch of kids opening their hearts,” remarked Margaret Cullen, Anya’s proud mom.
On Three Kings Day, Tuesday, January 6, the trio arrived at Saint Mary’s bearing gifts - about $400 worth.
“I always see commercials on TV about donating to children’s hospitals and I thought, why not give back to kids right here in my own neighborhood,” said Anya.