Comfort comes in many forms, and one of them is soft, plushy, and endearing — stuffed animals.
One group in Winkler, the Peters family, has turned to these lovable items to provide some support to wildfire evacuees staying in the city’s hotels.
During a time when the comforts of home are especially distant, it’s a gesture that brings as much warmth as the fuzz and fur of the stuffed animals collected.
Gathering new friends
The Peters’ family has been collecting plushies from various community members to pass along to evacuees for a few weeks now.
For Raylene and Carson, the children of Terry Peters, choosing to help evacuees in this specific way has a simple reason beyond wanting to lend a helping hand.
“They’re fun to play with,” says Carson.
Raylene adds that when she has a tough time, it makes her “happy” to hold her stuffed animals.
It’s a feeling that the pair wants to spread.
Community enthusiasm
The Peters family began their collection by posting on Facebook — an action that immediately garnered attention from well-meaning Pembina Valley inhabitants who wanted to help.
At the time of publishing, the trio has gathered 150 stuffed animals and toys to distribute to children staying in hotels.
‘I can’t imagine’
For Terry, the idea resulted from her question of how her family could help evacuees.
“We just heard they were coming down, and I just said, ‘What can we do?’ I can't imagine if our family was put out like this,” she says.
“We were just looking around and I think [my kids] noticed all the stuffies they have on their beds and how close they are to them, so that was just one thing that they knew was something small that we could deliver.”
Terry says that another reason for choosing stuffed animals is that they can come along wherever one travels.
Related stories:
- ‘We would hope someone would help us’, local hotels house wildfire evacuees
- Morden-Winkler MLA Carrie Hiebert launches community donation drive for wildfire evacuees
- Boots full of kindness: Firefighters collect thousands for wildfire relief
She also says that while it might seem like a small gesture, to children, it’s a big one.
“Parents understand a lot more, but for a little child to lose everything and for one little stuffie to show up for them to cuddle with — it’s just amazing,” she says.
To drop off stuffed animals or toys for evacuees (the Peters family asks that the they be new or gently used), visit 126 Main Street in Winkler.
There will be a box for collection on the front steps.
With files from Ty Hildebrand