A beary good cause

A retirement community is sewing stitches of love.

For the past decade, Cascade Manor Retirement Facility in Eugene, Oregon, has been making stuffed animals for area children in need a fuzzy friend.

Residents celebrated making their 10,000th plush earlier this month. The teddy bears are sent to area organizations that help children in crisis: Catholic Services, WIC, Ronald McDonald House, Oregon Family Support Network and Bags of Love, among others.

“Bags of Love provide these bags that are full of necessities and comfort items, and all of our bags are topped off with some type of a stuffed animal,” said Becky Stenzel, executive director of Bags of Love, a nonprofit that works with children who have been exposed to abuse, neglect, poverty and homelessness. “It’s pretty special. Their eyes light up, and they get a smile on their face. They get that stuffed animal, and it comes right out of the bag and they hold it to their heart.”

Emerald Valley Quilters provides the materials and starts the bears before shipping them to the retirement community. Residents stuff the tummy, sew the back and bows and sort the bears. 

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.