Pupils' project lets needy kids have a beary merry Christmas

Inside each bear is a star representing a wish from the pupil who made the bear.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- Special-education pupils at Campbell Elementary and Middle schools showed they care -- with a bear.
The kids spent a part of a school day stuffing 20 "Cuddelz" bears, the rainbow-colored Charity Bears from Noah's Ark Animal Workshop, for needy kids in their community.
The bears were given out Saturday, through the Christ Community Church Food Cupboard, to families who have children age 3 through 8, said Linda Bobic, food cupboard coordinator.
The bears, given special names by the kids who made them, were packed in a Noah's Ark bag and accompanied by a birth certificate and a letter from the pupil who stuffed the bear.
One third-grader's letter, in the form of a poem, neatly sums up the essence of the project to his "new friend."
"I made this bear
with hugs and kisses.
Hope your Christmas
is full of wishes."
Also, sealed inside each bear is a star that represents a special wish from the pupil who made the bear.
"Have a nice Christmas. Have fun and get lots of presents," said Kyle Thorpe, 10, who named his bear Stripe.
Jermaine Green, 12, who named his bear Jermaine, wished his new friend a "merry Christmas and a happy new year ... and a Gameboy."
"I hope you have a good Christmas, just like we do," said Alyssa Tennant, 9, who named her bear Angel.
Sparkle is the name of the bear stuffed by Chauntice Morgan, 9, who wished that her new friend would "feel happy."
Jose Torres, 10, and Preston Phillips, 9, settled on the same name for their bears, Rainbow. They (the bears) are twins, Preston said. Shamera Benton, 9, named her bear Cara, and Josiah Smith, 10, said his bear's name is Joseph.
Wanted to do more
The children who received the bears weren't the only ones to get a special and unexpected Christmas gift.
The kids who made them, some of whom may be needy themselves, experienced the good feelings that come from sharing and doing something for someone else.
"The students wanted to meet their new friends, and were sad to hear someone might not get anything for Christmas except the bear. They wanted to bring in candy and other presents," said fifth-grade teacher Krystal Quinn.
Daniel DeJesus, 11, wanted to know if he could bring in clothes that didn't fit him anymore, Quinn said.
The project, as originally envisioned by Lisa Foster, fourth-grade teacher, was to make the bears for kids who were victims of the hurricanes in the South. But, when it was learned that Noah's Ark would donate $3 to hurricane victims for each bear made, the focus here became making bears for kids in the community.
Funded by district
The pupils did not have to pay for the bears they made. The project was funded by the Principal's Fund and Special Education Fund at Campbell Schools, said Foster.
Foster, a friend of Missy Barnett, an independent founding crew member of Noah's Ark Animal Workshop, said she "saw the bear at her [Barnett's] house and fell in love with it." From that, Foster developed the idea of the children's making the bears, with help from Barnett.
In addition to learning to share, the pupils learned how to write a letter, said Tammy Thomson, who teaches second and third grades.
"The kids enjoyed it. They felt it was a nice thing to do for kids here and the ones that lost a lot in the hurricanes," said Joanna Shepelevich, third-grade teacher.
alcorn@vindy.com