THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995 TAG: 9512050108
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
The kids and grown-ups at Poplar Halls Elementary in Norfolk couldn't bear the thought of other kids not getting a present for Christmas.
So they undertook a project that bears watching: dressing teddy bears for the Salvation Army to give to needy children.
It all started with their principal, Dr. DeLores Wilson, who is a teddy bear collector. She's also a friend of Salvation Army advisory board member George W.C. Brown Jr.
``He brought a couple of bears to my home,'' Wilson recalled, ``and explained that dressing them was one of two holiday projects he was working on; the other was preparing Christmas stockings. He thought we would want to do the stockings. I told him, `No, we want to do the bears.' He asked, `How many?' I said, `12.' But when we got them to school they were gone in five minutes.''
Brown brought 12 more. A day or so later they were gone, too. Another call went out, this time for three dozen.
``They went,'' Wilson said.
Subsequent calls brought the number up to almost 100. By Nov. 29, almost all had been dressed, with only a few remaining to be done before they were picked up Nov. 30 and taken to the Salvation Army warehouse on Hampton Boulevard. From there they will go to needy families who have registered with the Salvation Army, to delight children Christmas Day.
``This year we're looking to distribute 4,000 bears and 9,000 stockings,'' Brown said. ``This is an annual project. We do bears, stockings, distribute food, clothes, toys, angel trees, and we hope people will remember our red kettles and bell ringers.''
When the students, teachers and staff at Poplar Halls Elementary think of Christmas and the Salvation Army, they undoubtedly will think of bears.
According to Wilson, more than 30 students and 20 staff members - teachers, teachers' aides, custodians, cafeteria employees - helped with the project.
The Salvation Army provided patterns for the bears' clothes. Cutting, sewing and gluing was required. Fifth-graders, boys and girls alike, got involved, including Thomas Boyce's entire class and 10 from Rilene Brookins' class.
The result was a school lobby resembling a toy store, filled with baby bears, ballerina bears, clown and circus bears, sports bears, Christmas and holiday bears, bride and groom bears, career bears, cowboy and cowgirl bears, farmer bears, military bears and - of course - teacher bears. There were even a couple of angel bears, complete with wings.
``It'll be a surprise for Christmas,'' explained student Donnika Curtis, 10. ``I hope the needy kids really like them. I'm glad we're doing this. It can make you feel good about yourself, that you're giving.''
``I think they'd like to have a bear for Christmas because they haven't had something like this before,'' classmate Heather Lee, 10, noted. ``They'll have something to play with.''
``Sometimes we take it for granted, getting stuff,'' said David Kite, 12. ``They sometimes don't get anything.''
``It makes me feel great,'' said Mandi Jones, 10, `` 'cause it makes me know how to do stuff. Also, it's for needy kids; it's a great opportunity.''
``It was fun to do this and be around friends while we did it,'' said Adreon Rice, 11. ``It made me feel good.''
The bears will be distributed from Dec. 8 to 20, according to Brown, finding their way into good homes and children's hearts throughout Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. MEMO: For information about volunteer opportunities with the Salvation Army,
call volunteer coordinator Karla Goodloe at 461-7646. To volunteer for
bell-ringing, call Betty Liston at 622-7275. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
From left, Poplar Halls Elementary students Shon Bynum, Donnika
Curtis and Shawanna Cauther, principal Dr. DeLores Wilson, students
Katie Katauskas and Stacey Gantt, and guidance counselor Sandra
Howe.
by CNB