By Ruth Melville

A new project underway at the Meadowbrook Apartments hopes to put colorful handmade toy bears into the arms of children in need of comfort.

The “My Bears” project was started by Pearl Lovgreen, who moved to this area from Middletown, Conn. six years ago. She came to be near her sister Joyce, who was living in East Canaan. Lovgreen, now 88, has long been interested in sewing and embroidery. In Middletown she was president of the local Emblem Club, affiliated with the Elks, which also does craftwork for charity.

The Meadowbrook sewing group has about a half dozen members. One of the Meadowbrook drivers, Phylis Bernard, does the preliminary work, sewing up the outline of each bear on a sewing machine. The volunteers then do the finishing by hand, stuffing the bodies, drawing on the faces, and tying on ribbons.

So far they have made 27 bears, with 17 packaged and ready to be donated. They’re hoping to give the bears to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Although the bears are primarily intended for children, Lovgreen feels that anyone who would be cheered by a bear should have one.

At present, Lovgreen is staying at Geer for a couple of weeks to receive some rehabilitation therapy, but she’s eager to get home to start sewing up more bears.

Donations of supplies such as fabric (small prints preferred), ribbons, thread, and stuffing are always welcome. Nonresidents of Meadowbrook are invited to join the group, which meets in Meadowbrook’s community room from 2 to 5 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Photo by Bruce Frisch.