November 2023 Update - A story in CMM!
Very sweet! A lovely person - Maria K – wrote an article for the Canadian Mennonite about a volunteer offering Grace Mennonite Church is providing in the Niagara region. This is just an example. Any church or community group can do this.
Highlights. It’s a loving community effort that goes beyond GMC. Certainly Ester F and Mary K, but also folks who donate next-to-new teddy bears and homemade or homey small blankets / shawls. It costs very little and encourages so much.
As of today we are close to having 100 Elders having received or soon to receive a care-kit of an individualized teddy bear, a “made-with-love” wrap around, a beary-sweet card, and (when diet permits) a bear-paw cookie.
Want to help? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A FRIENDLY VISITOR, LET YOUR LOCAL CARE HOME KNOW. If you would like to collect and donate next-to-new teddy bears and homemade or homey small blankets / shawls, that would be so awesome. Let me know.
https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/volunteers-customize-bears-and-blankets-care-home-residents
Highlights. It’s a loving community effort that goes beyond GMC. Certainly Ester F and Mary K, but also folks who donate next-to-new teddy bears and homemade or homey small blankets / shawls. It costs very little and encourages so much.
As of today we are close to having 100 Elders having received or soon to receive a care-kit of an individualized teddy bear, a “made-with-love” wrap around, a beary-sweet card, and (when diet permits) a bear-paw cookie.
Want to help? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A FRIENDLY VISITOR, LET YOUR LOCAL CARE HOME KNOW. If you would like to collect and donate next-to-new teddy bears and homemade or homey small blankets / shawls, that would be so awesome. Let me know.
https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/volunteers-customize-bears-and-blankets-care-home-residents
October 15, 2023 – Of Bears and Blankets – Jan Steven
Here is picture of we three amigos.
- Ester on the right makes small blankets. We also buy from thrift stores and receive donations. These are washed and dried.
- Mary in the middle makes personalized scarves and often adds a cute decal.
- Jan on the left collects up bears and gives them a good scrubbing. I assemble the care kits and I deliver. There is usually a two week turn-around time between receiving the request and delivering the bears and blankets and cards and cookies.
Interview at CKTB 610. Thank you Stephanie!
Talk Radio CKTB 610 did an interview. Listen here. https://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/audio/jan-carrie-steven-bringing-smiles-to-long-term-care-residents-reach-out-to-jan-via-jan-carrie-steven-gmail-com-1.20211480?mode=Article
Article in Niagara This Week! Thank you Luke!
This article appeared in Niagara This Week - September 4, 2023. To see the original article, to to https://www.niagarathisweek.com/life/a-friendly-face-for-niagara-ltc-home-residents/article_2ac7fca8-da6f-5ee2-a155-7a8aa889c9e0.html Please note: This is group project.
An Article in the MCC Thrift Shop Newsletter for August 2023!
Bears and Blankets for our Elders in Long Term Care
Meet our new batch of Teddy-Bears. These come from the MCC Thrift Store on Grantham. They are checked over before they are put out for sale. They are new or next-to-new. I (Jan) buy them for $2 to $4 each. What a deal! I bring them home and give them a gentle but thorough wipe-wash with a little dish detergent and a lot of hot water. And let them air dry.
Next, my Grace Mennonite Church Friend Mary K makes individual scarves for them and embroiders the first name of the person who will be receiving the scarf. I’ll then wrap the bear with the scarf and put a stitch into it to make sure it stays on.
Our Grace M C Friend Ester F crochets beautiful blankets and shawls! Can you imagine the work involved in making these? She loves to do it. I then sew an embroidered label on it that says "Wrapped in Love - Grace Friends" - so the blankets and shawls don’t get lost.
Our hope is that these go to Elders in Long Term Care homes who don’t get a lot of visitors – often because families live far away or because their family and friends are too frail to visit. We are excited that we have two Long Term Care homes participating in this FREE labour of love. The staff picks out the folks who will most appreciate these gifts and visits.
The Bears and Blankets are to serve as reminders to our Elders that they are individually loved and truly appreciated. The Elder will get also get a friendly visit and a bear-care card – and, if their diet permits – bear paw cookies (commercially made, just to be safe.)
And as best I can, I'll visit out B & B Friends monthly. We welcome more visitors.
Have questions? Phone Jan Steven at 289-990-4839 or email at [email protected] .
Next, my Grace Mennonite Church Friend Mary K makes individual scarves for them and embroiders the first name of the person who will be receiving the scarf. I’ll then wrap the bear with the scarf and put a stitch into it to make sure it stays on.
Our Grace M C Friend Ester F crochets beautiful blankets and shawls! Can you imagine the work involved in making these? She loves to do it. I then sew an embroidered label on it that says "Wrapped in Love - Grace Friends" - so the blankets and shawls don’t get lost.
Our hope is that these go to Elders in Long Term Care homes who don’t get a lot of visitors – often because families live far away or because their family and friends are too frail to visit. We are excited that we have two Long Term Care homes participating in this FREE labour of love. The staff picks out the folks who will most appreciate these gifts and visits.
The Bears and Blankets are to serve as reminders to our Elders that they are individually loved and truly appreciated. The Elder will get also get a friendly visit and a bear-care card – and, if their diet permits – bear paw cookies (commercially made, just to be safe.)
And as best I can, I'll visit out B & B Friends monthly. We welcome more visitors.
Have questions? Phone Jan Steven at 289-990-4839 or email at [email protected] .
