Agape House is calling on the community for donations of teddy bears and stuffed animals as they prepare for their annual Teddy Bear Fun Day.
Executive Director Tracy Whitby says the event is a joyful celebration designed for families to enjoy together with plenty of fun, learning, and heartwarming moments.
“The event features a teddy bear adoption clinic, where kids can adopt new stuffed friends and a teddy bear clinic where ‘teddy nurses’ will help mend loved stuffies with stitches and extra fluff.”
Along with the adoption and clinic stations, families can look forward to a wide variety of activities and special guests. Wildlife Haven, Steinbach Family Resource Centre, the Indigenous Friendship Circle, as well as members of the local RCMP and Fire Department, will all be on site.
“As well, we're going to have a bouncy castle, balloon animals, and free freezies and bubbles for everyone to play with. As well as an opportunity to win a prize that was donated by Canadian Tire. So, summer activity prizes donated by Canadian Tire. Everybody who joins us will be able to enter the draw for that prize. Lots of fun things happening in a three-hour span.”
According to Whitby, Teddy Bear Fun Day is one of Agape House’s most successful community events each year.
“It’s a way for us to give back to our community who gives to us throughout the year, create a little fun family event that's free and open to everybody”
To make the magic happen, the organization is in need of more teddy bears and stuffed animals to stock their adoption table.
“Every year we have an adoption table, which has always been a huge hit. But last year we ended up having the entire table, which was refilled a couple of times, but it was emptied within the first hour. That's how popular it was. So, we want to make sure that every child who comes has the chance to take home a new friend, so we will be collecting stuffed animals to restock.”
Donations of all types of stuffed animals are welcome.
“Brand new is fantastic, but it definitely doesn't have to be brand new. Gently used, well-loved, that's all fine. Any stuffed animal, it doesn't even have to be a teddy bear, of course. We are an inclusive organization and that extends to our stuffies as well. So, lions, bunnies, dragons, whatever it is, we would love to have it if you are done with it and be able to give it a new home with somebody who is excited to welcome them.”
Each adopted stuffed animal comes with a full adoption process that turns the moment into something truly memorable.
“They get to name their teddy or animal. We'll have the birth date, the date of adoption, there's the whole process. So, they get to go home with their stuffy as well as the certificate of adoption, it's very cute.”
While there’s no set target, Whitby estimates they’ll need around 300 stuffed animals for the day.
“We've had quite a few donations this week already, people calling and dropping off stuffed animals, which is fantastic, but we do this every year, so we will take whatever we can get. We're just happy that people are willing to give us their old stuffed animals, their new stuffed animals, we'll take them. And if we don't use them all this year, we will save them for next year.”
She adds that while it may seem small, a stuffed animal can have a big impact on a child.
“You've got your favourite little animal that is yours, and it has to go with you everywhere you go. If you leave it behind, that is a traumatic event. But I just think they represent comfort, companionship, and imagination, and it's kind of all rolled into one sweet little thing that's cuddly and yours. They're there if you need a hug or if you need somebody to listen to you, to share adventures with, it's just something that is just so important and I don't know exactly what it is.”
The highlight of the day for Whitby is watching the children experience the joy of adopting their new friend.
“They discover that they're able to adopt one, it's just pure delight that's on their faces. They're just overwhelmed in a good way,” she says. “Then watching them go through the adoption process and how they're really thoughtful on the name they give to their new best friends, it's just beautiful.”
Whitby encourages those interested in donating stuffed animals to call 204-326-6062 or email info@agapehouse.ca.
Teddy Bear Fun Day takes place on June 7 at E.A. Friesen Park in Steinbach from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
With files from Carly Koop
