May 2, 2003
Valdosta - The first annual Operation Teddy Bear is underway. "We hope this will be a bridge between the people of Iraq and America," said Catherine Cronin, Association Member.
Two hundred and seventy five teddy bears, hand-made by VSU's Latter-Day Saints Association, will soon make hundreds of children very happy. "They may not all be beautiful, but they're made with love and that's all that matters," said Cronin.
The first bears were made for local children who've suffered a trauma. But when the war began, the group had another idea. "War is definitely a trauma, so the children of Iraq are well deserving of some bears too," said Cronin.
Now over half of the bears will be sent overseas and delivered to Iraqi children by U.S. soldiers. "If they see a soldier as someone who is giving them something, they won't be as scared of them and won't think soldiers are always bad and dangerous," said Cronin.
The group has been working on the bears since August. "It takes about two hours to make each bear, so you're talking about a total of 500 to 600 hours," said Elaine Cronin, Project Organizer.
The group has already started making bears for next year's project.
posted at 3:30 by ashley.harper@walb.com
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