A8

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

The local organizers of Teddies for Tragedies are reminding the kindhearted people of Miramichi and beyond that there are knitted teddy bears available for them to pack in with their parcels for underprivileged children.

Operation Christmas Child cheer boxes are being packed by many people in the coming weeks and the local group of Teddies for Tragedies is offering teddies to include in these boxes. Persons interested may contact 622-4237 or 773-3392

Over the past several months, packages of these teddy bears have been knit, donated, taken and sent to various destinations as the opportunity arose. The ideal situation is to be able to mail quantities of teddy bears (cost-free) to a military address where they could be distributed to war victims to bring comfort to sick or wounded children in the hospitals or orphanages. Repeated attempts at this venture have failed, except for one breakthrough in Nigeria. The committee would appreciate any information that could assist in this matter.

Some of the teddy bears made over the past year were sent in response to a request from the Bronx, from a Sick Children's Hospital in New York. More recently, a thank you was received from a mission worker in Malawi, who reported a toy ministry where they allow the children to play with a toy and leave it behind at the end of the session for the next week. Plans to send a supply will enable more of the orphans and others to own a teddy bear of their own. This venture may be limited because of heavy mailing expenses, since ‘til now the group has depended on voluntary donations for the project.

The Miramichi group has been supported by knitters from Chipman, Moncton and Fredericton, who continue to knit and/or stuff the teddies. Large donations of yarn continue to be received, as well. One lady from such a group has requested a parcel of teddies to take with her on her third trip to the Dominican Republic in January, 2009. A group from several churches in the Bathurst area plans to distribute them to orphans and hospitals while on a mission trip. Anyone traveling to a Third World country is welcome to carry along a few teddies for distribution to needy children.