
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 7, 1994                   TAG: 9404070319
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

CHURCH COLLECTS TEDDY BEARS

A Teddy Bear Drive has been started by Slusser's Chapel churchmen. They are collecting Teddy bears, young and old, new and used, between eight and 24 inches long, for children in times of need.

Draper Road Cleaners and Carter Jones Cleaners, both in Blacksburg, are donating free dry cleaning to any Teddy bear who needs it. Officials at Montgomery Regional Hospital have received approval from an infection control agency to use the dry cleaned bears.

Clean and wrapped bears will wait at Montgomery Regional Hospital, in sheriff officer's vehicles, in doctor's offices and anywhere one might be needed until a child can use the comfort of a cuddly creature.

Teddy bears are often used by doctors as models to show a child what is going to take place, explained Dick Gilbert, pastor of Slusser's Chapel. And the bears can give comfort to children who have been involved in automobile accidents and other disasters.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phipps said that having the Teddy bears will help "make a very trying situation a little easier for everyone concerned."

Collection points for Teddy bears are located at the Women's Center for Health Education at the New River Valley Mall, the Fitness Connection on North Main Street in Blacksburg, Jennings Design Center in the University Mall and Montgomery Regional Hospital.

If you have a bear or two you wish to donate and cannot get to a collection point, call Gilbert at 951-1757. Arrangements will be made to pick up your teddy bear donation.

by CNB