ANDERSON, Ind. —
Churning out approximately 100 unique teddy bears a month, the Madison County Love Bears are reaching out to comfort anxious children in area hospitals with the gift of a new, fluffy friend.
“I like knowing they are going to little children,” said Nancy Looper, member since 1990. “I love kids and I want to do something to give them comfort.”
“If it’s anything that has to do with sewing, I’m down for it,” said Florencie Walters, two-year member. “And this even helps kids by making them feel good. We made some blankets and gave them to some kids and they called to say they were thrilled to death. They were so grateful for them.”
Volunteers cut the bear shapes out of different styles of fabric, machine-sew the pattern, stuff the bears, hand sew the opening and decorate the animals with flair. Many work a great deal at home between meetings and then come together at the PAL Club once a month to work as a team.
Each month they deliver bears to the county’s three hospitals. In addition, the Madison County Love Bears sewed and donated 500 Christmas stockings through Toys for Tots, Alternatives, LifeStream, Dove Harbor, Operation Love, Southern Care Hospice and foster care programs.
“What amazes me is that everything we use is donated,” said Janette Batts, a new member. “We buy the fabric and stuffing with funds that have been donated and some people donate materials.”
Fashioning bears since before 1990 (when they finally started keeping records), the group hit a rough spell about a year and a half ago when their meeting and storage location could no longer accommodate them and their funds ran dry.
Community members, along with Saint John’s Health System, St. Vincent Mercy Hospital and Community Hospital Anderson, stepped forward and provided enough resources to keep the ladies pushing their needles through fabric. The PAL Club offered a meeting and storage place.
“I started coming here because a lady at church did it,” said Bernardine Lewis, member since 1992. “I thought it was the Christian thing to do — make little bears for kids in the hospital. I’ve loved it ever since.”
“I love the friendships,” said Virginia Williams. “I started sewing when I was a child. My mother taught me to sew. It’s restful.”
Donations accepted:
100 percent cotton fabric
Polyfill
Time from crafters
Monetary funds
Meetings:
When: Third Wednesday of the month, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: PAL Club, 101 E. Oak St.
Contact: Sally Freeman at 644-4244
Local Business
Related Photos
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Jeanette Williams and Virginia Williams use machines to sew the pattern for the Love Bears that will be given to children in local hospitals.
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Bernardine Lewis, right, and Nancy Looper fill bears and sew the opening shut. The bears are given to Madison County's hospitals to comfort children.
Discussion
Getting Together: Volunteers sew love into teddy bears
Stuffed animals comfort children in hospitals
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