By Corey Everitt
No matter the age, teddy bears are for everyone and residents from Evergreen Retirement Village are ensuring children get their comfort when it’s most needed.
On Wednesday 29 May Evergreen hosted a ‘teddy bear picnic’ to celebrate the work of residents who have knitted more than 100 and counting teddies which have been donated to Casey Hospital, paramedics and others organisations to comfort children.
The day saw residents bringing their long-cherished teddy bears with some over 90-years-old.
The drive started with local Mary Walker who heard of efforts to donate bears to hospitals late last year.
She started knitting the ‘little teddies’ and others heard.
“I went home and kitted about three or four teddies, somebody heard about it,” Mary said.
“I was aiming for about 100 teddy bears before Christmas, it is now May and 230 teddies have been knitted by the teddy bear team.”
The ‘teddy bear team’ spread further than just the village as many ‘caught the bug’ of knitting from volunteers at Vinnies to the local Golden Girls group.
Taking some of the teddies around town she has already been stopped by passersby who have had their children given the teddies at their medical visits. Over 100 have been given out now with many more soon to be donated.
“It’s just absolutely blown me away,” Mary said.
“There is a definite need, I can find homes for them. The police can have them, the fire brigade can have them, there are so many.”
The celebration on Wednesday was particularly in thanks to Mary. The picnic had a special visit from a ‘real-life’ teddy, which was worn by Mary’s daughter.
“My aim is that they are done with love, all the wool has been donated,” Mary said.
“It’s not made out of money, it’s genuine love.”
-John Mackay’s 90-year-old teddy
John’s teddy bear may have seen better days in its 90 years with him, but it’s still no less a ‘dear little teddy’.
He received the teddy when he was a year-old, as he was told.
John must handle the teddy a bit more tenderly than he used to as a child, with only one eye remaining and the bright pink and green fabric weathered to beige and brown.
“He has gotten worn out, his squeaker got pressed so often his shirt wore out and his squeaker fell out,” John said.
“He is a dear little teddy.”
-Jenny Theobald’s reunion
Jenny wasn’t allowed to take her toys when she emigrated from England with her family, leaving her beloved teddy bear when she was nine-years-old.
Still wanting good company for him, she left it with her neighbour back in England.
It was 60 years later in Australia that Jenny would get a surprise in the mail.
“I sort of forgot about him and this parcel arrived for me and he was in it with a message from the neighbour’s granddaughter,” Jenny said.
“She knew it belonged to me and returned it back to me.”
-Mary Walker’s koala
Mary’s teddy is over 80 years old, but it’s a ‘koala and not a real bear.’
Koala or teddy, it is in exceptional condition for 80 years although it at some point lost its eyes.
“I must have bit them off,” Mary said.
Another cherished and young teddy bear – and an actual bear – is one Mary knitted for her grandson about 35 years ago.
It bridges three generations as it wears the dress Mary’s daughter wore as a child.
