Over 100 Dolls Made + Key Club and K-Kids Learned Service and Compassion

by Rosemary Cummings

The K-Kids and Key Clubs of Coastal Delaware Kiwanis Club joined together with the Gardeners by the Sea (GBTS) Garden Club members to make Teddy Bears for the families meeting their deceased soldiers returning to Dover AFB. Mrs. Marcia Bonifas of Ocean View DE, a Vietnam widow, first mentioned the project to her quilting friends who just happen to be gardeners as well. The Garden Club's Youth Committee (Chair is Kiwanian Rosemary Cummings) asked the K-Kids to work on the Teddy Bear Project. In step one, the local women cut and sew the Teddy Bears using colorful fabrics from new and leftover projects. Step two, the K-Kids stuff the bears and Step 3, the K-Kids sew the small opening closed. GBTS gardeners, Nancy Shaffer and Pat Sharpe showed the K-Kids the fine art of hand sewing and the K-Kids were into another fun project. Janet Thomas, Susie Miller and Peggy Ravida also attended meeting and worked with the LBES Kids sewing the bears. Rosemary Cummings worked with K-Kids in Rehoboth Beach and Key Club members in Salisbury, MD stuffing and sewing the brightly colored bears. At some meetings, the kids constructed hand drawn cards with messages to the soldiers' families. The Kids put much love into their projects often finding it quite difficult to say good-bye to the wonderful bears they made and the notes they composed. The Kiwanis Club received word the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs gave a SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to the local Garden Club for sponsoring this project.

Boys & Girls Club K-Kids and Builders Clubs Members make Bears

JMB Key Club Members make bears

Lord Baltimore K-Kids sew bears

Rehoboth K-Kids make bears

Ms Bonifas works with K-Kids making bears.