With each stitch of the needle, Jeanne Miller sews a little of her love into the “comfort bear.”
Miller is one of many women at Penfield’s Legacy at Willow Pond who participate in the Comfort Bears and Dolls program — cutting, sewing, stuffing and decorating bears and dolls for children at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong.
The women are there to create a companion for the children during their stay at the hospital — and they’ve made more than 10,000 such items in the seven years since the program’s inception.
“It’s not how many you do, but how much love you put in the doing,” said Ruth Barrett, the organizer of the group. “They work wonders because kids are so upset when they get to the hospital.”
She helped found the program at Legacy with four other women. They got the idea from Fairport’s Baptist Home, where residents also create the bears for children at the hospital. When one of the residents came to Legacy, the program grew — and has flourished since. The group has been recognized by Lifespan, Monroe County and Legacy for the great volunteer work they’ve done for the community.
In all, the ladies at Legacy have made 10,113 items for Strong: 8,396 bears and 1,717 dolls.
“It amazes me when I think of it. It’s good because we know Strong uses every one of them,” Barrett said. “It’s shame that there’s that many sick kids, though.”
Every other Friday, a group of women meet to stuff the shells that Miller had sewn together. A small space on top is left open, where delicate stitches pull the bear to life.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” Miller said. “We just feel like we’re doing something for these children that need a little comfort.”
The dolls, which are sent to the pediatrics department, are dressed with a hospital gown, and atop their head sits a soft, tender head of hair. Each strand of yarn is braided into the other, giving girl dolls long hair and boy dolls short, spikey dos. But each doll’s hair can be removed, so the child can relate as they undergo chemotherapy treatments and lose their own hair.
The pediatrics department gives the dolls to children as they’re talking, having the child paint a face on the doll, whether they’re happy or sad. If the child has a broken arm, the hospital will put a cast on the arm.
Tags that show the bear or doll was made with love accompanies a cotton, red heart. Then they’re packed up, ready to be delivered by Penfield resident Louise Criticos, director of Friends of Strong, and her husband.
“It means a lot to people, and in this case, children, when someone makes something for them,” Criticos said. “They know there is someone out there looking out for them, and wanting them to feel better, and that means a lot.”
With each stitch of the needle, Jeanne Miller sews a little of her love into the “comfort bear.”
Miller is one of many women at Penfield’s Legacy at Willow Pond who participate in the Comfort Bears and Dolls program — cutting, sewing, stuffing and decorating bears and dolls for children at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong.
The women are there to create a companion for the children during their stay at the hospital — and they’ve made more than 10,000 such items in the seven years since the program’s inception.
“It’s not how many you do, but how much love you put in the doing,” said Ruth Barrett, the organizer of the group. “They work wonders because kids are so upset when they get to the hospital.”
She helped found the program at Legacy with four other women. They got the idea from Fairport’s Baptist Home, where residents also create the bears for children at the hospital. When one of the residents came to Legacy, the program grew — and has flourished since. The group has been recognized by Lifespan, Monroe County and Legacy for the great volunteer work they’ve done for the community.
In all, the ladies at Legacy have made 10,113 items for Strong: 8,396 bears and 1,717 dolls.
“It amazes me when I think of it. It’s good because we know Strong uses every one of them,” Barrett said. “It’s shame that there’s that many sick kids, though.”
Every other Friday, a group of women meet to stuff the shells that Miller had sewn together. A small space on top is left open, where delicate stitches pull the bear to life.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” Miller said. “We just feel like we’re doing something for these children that need a little comfort.”
The dolls, which are sent to the pediatrics department, are dressed with a hospital gown, and atop their head sits a soft, tender head of hair. Each strand of yarn is braided into the other, giving girl dolls long hair and boy dolls short, spikey dos. But each doll’s hair can be removed, so the child can relate as they undergo chemotherapy treatments and lose their own hair.
The pediatrics department gives the dolls to children as they’re talking, having the child paint a face on the doll, whether they’re happy or sad. If the child has a broken arm, the hospital will put a cast on the arm.
Tags that show the bear or doll was made with love accompanies a cotton, red heart. Then they’re packed up, ready to be delivered by Penfield resident Louise Criticos, director of Friends of Strong, and her husband.
“It means a lot to people, and in this case, children, when someone makes something for them,” Criticos said. “They know there is someone out there looking out for them, and wanting them to feel better, and that means a lot.”
