What a success Project Teddy Bear has been.
Martha Gregory has been working side by side with her Grandson Keith Vento who is a freshman at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. "Well what started the whole thing is that we found a container of stuffed Disney toys in the attic". Martha said. Keith suggested giving the container to
Children in Distress and in doing further research lead Martha to a local
hospital in Broward County. They realized a true need in providing sick
children with stuffed toys to comfort them during their stay in the
hospital.
Martha has been receiving gently used teddy bears and other stuffed toys from anyone and everyone that would donate them. Under the tutelage of his Grandmother, Keith repairs any damaged toys, they then go through 2 washings and into the dryer. To insure they are completely dry they sit on the table while they are meticulously brushed and groomed returning each one to mint condition as if they were just purchased brand new from the store.
Sorted by color and size each group goes into special bags
accompanied by a scented dryer sheet. Keith makes the deliveries
personally. Visiting each bed the nurses direct him to. Some are left for children just completing surgery too. A Surgical Nurse stopped them one day. She explained to Martha and Keith that as a child recovers from their surgery they are given a toy, they are comforted by something soft and hug the toy immediately.
"Please don't ever stop, they mean more then you'll ever realize."
Martha Gregory has been working side by side with her Grandson Keith Vento who is a freshman at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. "Well what started the whole thing is that we found a container of stuffed Disney toys in the attic". Martha said. Keith suggested giving the container to
Children in Distress and in doing further research lead Martha to a local
hospital in Broward County. They realized a true need in providing sick
children with stuffed toys to comfort them during their stay in the
hospital.
Martha has been receiving gently used teddy bears and other stuffed toys from anyone and everyone that would donate them. Under the tutelage of his Grandmother, Keith repairs any damaged toys, they then go through 2 washings and into the dryer. To insure they are completely dry they sit on the table while they are meticulously brushed and groomed returning each one to mint condition as if they were just purchased brand new from the store.
Sorted by color and size each group goes into special bags
accompanied by a scented dryer sheet. Keith makes the deliveries
personally. Visiting each bed the nurses direct him to. Some are left for children just completing surgery too. A Surgical Nurse stopped them one day. She explained to Martha and Keith that as a child recovers from their surgery they are given a toy, they are comforted by something soft and hug the toy immediately.
"Please don't ever stop, they mean more then you'll ever realize."
