Stuffed animals can turn bad days bearable

The Bear family has many famous bruins--the original Teddy (named after Theodore Roosevelt), Pooh and Paddington, to name but a few. Lesser known members of the clan are equally treasured by the persons they own and bring comfort and cuddles to children and the young-in-heart around the world.

Lee Mullett, Medical Scholars Program, is a member of the First State Den of Good Bears of the World, a nonprofit organization established to bring the magical power of teddy bears to people of all ages.

Chartered originally in Bern, Switzerland, famed for its center city bear dens and the signature bear on its coat of arms, the organization now has headquarters in Ohio. Last year, it distributed 20,000 teddies to poor, sick, injured or traumatized children, to AIDS patients, to lonely elderly people and others in need of bear hugs to make life a little more bearable.

The First State Den is official in Delaware, Mullett said. She and other den members visited Gov. Thomas R. Carper, who proclaimed Oct. 27, Teddy Roosevelt's birthday, "Good Bear Day." In honor of the occasion, he was presented with a commodore bear, dressed in a brass-buttoned uniform and carrying a ship model.

Another memorable visit for the First State Den was to the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna. "We distributed more than 50 previously loved, restored bears to people of all ages. One elderly man announced he didn't want a bear, but then changed his mind when he saw a cuddly white one and said, 'I'll just keep that bear,' " Mullett recalled.

This visit was especially meaningful for Mullett. Her mother was in a nursing home before she died, and Mullett decided then to continue visiting older people as a tribute to her mother's memory. She since has discovered that teddies are good ambassadors and icebreakers.

Although Mullett isn't a bear collector herself, she offers foster care to teddy bears. Using guidelines and directions from Good Bears of the World, she restores the teddies to their former, clean, cuddly selves.

"Students and others have heard about Good Bears and have brought me several to recycle," Mullett said, exhibiting a large assortment of pre-loved bears of all sizes and colors, some in just their bearskins and some dressed to the nines.

Bear in mind that new bears also are welcome. The First State Den will hold a Bearzaar in the spring to raise funds for new bears to distribute to fire companies and to the police, who give them to children in crisis situations.

--Sue Swyers Moncure

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