Please don't return to sender

Not all the bears have an easy journey just getting to the start line! The small brown bear set off from Virginia two weeks ago, he wasn't actually going far on his first leg as he was only headed for my home here in Ohio. The thing was that first leg was going to be his hardest, a week after he set off he arrived back where he started in Virginia!! The problem being a postal service that failed to realise the poster hadnt meant "Lane" but "Drive" so instead of using a little initiative they took the easy option and returned it to sender! Of course every tale has a happy ending, correctly re-addressed he grabbed his two friends seen here and came back as a threesome and as can be seen here they all arrived safely a couple of days later. So for persistence in the face of adversity this little bear so far wins the prize and as can be seen he got a few English chocs for his efforts - hmmm if they all came back multiplied by three maybe we should send them all back "return to sender" Only joking once more I say thank you to all the contributors out there
and please keep them coming.

Stocking up on English chocs before the onward journey !!

Truly Unbelievable !!!

Each time I post, the adjectives are harder to find, I started this "little" project with a wish to collect 100 teddy bears to send to the victims of Hurricane Katrina - I wasn't sure i could do it, I thought I was crazy (been said before!) and here I am three weeks and almost 1200 bears later and I am almost lost for words (now that is a first!). With thanks to all you good people who have read this, passed on the word, and posted your bears there just aren't true words of thanks. And still the bears keep coming - we already know since the count was taken Friday we have had more bears delivered so expect that total to rise again Monday. I have put a bear total at the top and even when I'm not posting a daily photo call and update I am updating that total.

As for the bears reaching their final destination, please don't think nothing is happening. We are liasing with a church group who are taking a relief convoy down to the area, all their shipment are goods specifically for the children and they are more than happy both to take the bears but to actually distribute them. The minister involved formerly worked in the region and is working with churches in the area to make sure when the bears and everything else arrives it goes exactly where it is needed most. I'm sorry if I sound at all vague but I am trying to make sure that all information we post here is up to date and accurate. Just believe that we have been assured these bears are needed, going to find welcoming arms and make someone very needy very happy. As more firm details are available I will up date.

Which only leaves me to say once more keep the bears coming and thank you

Ok I have had a nightmare tonight posting this picture but I was determined and here it is!! This is the majority of the bears that arrived last week and the only word is WOW !! I have to admit that on first examing the picture when my sister-in-law sent it up from the warehouse my only thought was "Where's Waldo?" (that translates to Where's Wally to all you Brits reading this) my eye just happened to be drawn to a little tigger and thats what I thought - hey when you pass one thousand bears you start to have wierd thoughts every now and then ............ but I lay a pound to a penny you are now looking for Tigger !!!

Where's Tigger?

What a lot of bears........

picture courtesy of Jerry Sowden for The Derrick

It was an eventful day yesterday at the warehouse where the bears are congregating pre-journey south. As the above picture shows my sister-in-law and all the bears entertained the press - "The Derrick" the local newsaper for the Oil City area who had run a piece last week returned to see how things were going (you can see the full article written by Karen Clark at http://thederrick.com/stories/09202005-2010.shtml).

I am happy to say that since the article was written the actual total has risen to 675 Teddy Bears with arrivals from both Florida and England this morning ........ lets hope teddy bears don't suffer travel sickness.

Thank you all once again .... keep them coming

Sunday total hits 512 Bears

It is incredible that in just two short weeks, having set out to amass 100 teddy bears the total now stands at an amazing 512 teddy bears. Dont be fooled though this picture shows just the bears that were delivered to the warehouse on FRIDAY.

Words cannot express how utterly overwhelming the response has been and still they keep coming. The total is almost accurate - give or take a bear or two who were hiding or running from one end of the line to the other when the counts were taking place (you try counting bears en mass)!

Hopefully during the course of the next week I will be able to report finalised plans to get them all to their new homes, until then keep them coming and once more a beary beary big thank you to all who have contributed a bear.

The arrival of the bears is coming in all shapes and forms. Anyone who happened to see weird car to car transfer of boxes and bags at The Dutch Haus here Friday night probably thought there was some clandestine dealing going on - nope just a wonderful a wonderful lady, Melissa (left) handing over far too many teddys bears to post. All the bears we had in Ohio have now been relocated to join the others in Oil City, well all except the beautiful little brown bear that arrived to late to travel this morning - I think come next week he'll have more company.

A question answered

I have had several people asking me who are Jentre Products and why am I shipping there when they know I am in Ohio. Basically the answer is simple my husband's sister and her husband have a business in Oil City which has a large warehouse, so she kindly offered the facilty to take delivery of the bears. I cant thank them enough as you can see from the quantities arriving we'd be sleeping with them if they all were coming here to Ohio - current total here is 43 which is comfortable! If you'd like to see more of what they do take a look at the Jentre Products web link on the side - it will take you to the most amazing dish satellite cover site (a product they designed and market, great pressy) under the FAQ section you'll see who Jentre are. So hopefully that answers the question, I cant wait to take the two hour drive up there and see the teddy mountain.

Keep 'em coming

It is truly amazing teddys teddys teddys, who would have thought so many could be in need of love and a hug.

This little troupe is just todays arrivals - its reaching the guess how many bears in the box stage ! The truth is we haven't done an exact count but are confident that as of today 250 teddy bears have arrived.

Really the pictures say it all. Just thinkof each bear then of each child who is going to get to love them . Somehow that thought makes it all worthwhile.

Please send a bear.

Bears Bears Bears

The above picture really does tell the story of Monday, over a hundred bears arrived - what words are there to say thank you to everyone. Big bears, little bears but all bears bearing love for an unknown child - leaves me speechless.

I am also pleased to say it looks like we have found a group who are going south to help with the recovery work and are able to take and distribute the bears. Once this is all finalised I will give full details but just wanted to share the fact that things are moving along.

I think the sweetest quote of the day was a from a friend in England stating that she couldn't send just one "beacause it will get lonely travelling all that way alone" a true bear carer if ever there was one.

Promises of bears keep coming which is wonderful and as they wont be despatched till mid-late September there is still plenty of time to send so no excuses. My comitment is that as long as bears keep arriving they will reach their rightful destination. We know the need, sadly, is going to last much much longer than that.

Sunday

Wow what a week, lots of teddys have arrived and promises of more. A week on from me starting this my faith in human generosity is restored beyond all my expectations.

Bears are arriving at both my home and at Jentre Products warehouse (I don't have a current total) and if all those promised are sent there are many more to come - I can't say thank you enough on behalf on the children who will eventually recieve them.

Yesterday our appeal was featured in the local paper in Oil City, I have had emails from young an old (Libby I tried to reply to you to say bring them along anytime but the reply wont go through) promising bears and instead of the occasional bunch of flowers from my husband when he gets in from work its bears that co-workers have given him - its all overwhelming.

All I can really say is thank you again and keep them coming

Thursday..... yes it really is

Well it must be getting to me as I failed to notice yesterday I labelled the post "Thursday" ! Today is truly Thursday and good news, what I hope hope are the advance troops are arriving - the postman today brought teddys, Shurl brought teddys home from his work, and now we have 35 teddy bears sitting waiting to get on with their mission .

As you can see from the above photos they are so eager they have already had the map out and are plotting the route south - If you have already sent your bear he should be spotted here somewhere though I admit some refused to take the job seriously and sit still and pay attention.

OK now to get serious - believing I am now going to have bears plans are afoot to sort where they are going, if anyone knows of a specific place where they are desparately needed please email me (link on the side).

To those who havent yet sent a bear PLEASE DO, look at this crowd and just imagine what joy and love they are going to give and recieve.

On a practical note when all bears arrive if they are still bearing any plastic tags or fixed in a box I am removing them, I basically want to make the distribution of the bears as easy as possible at their end point plus removing their boxes reduces weight/bulk for shipping.

Thursday.....

Still no physical bears due to time to ship/deliver but I'm getting some wonderful news by email I wanted to share ........


I work for a rather large corporation, and I sent out an e-mail to my coworkers, who have in turn sent it on to more people! Because there has been such an overwhelming response to the e-mail I sent out about your project,....


Rosie, I just added your link on my home page with a brand new "Help and Hope" section. And, yes, I will be sending a very nice, soft, cuddly, teddy bear.


Two boxes went out from here yesterday, and sent them priority, should be there Thurs or Fri I hope. So don't worry, you'll be seeing plenty of bears soon! And I'd be willing to bet in the next few weeks your cries will turn from "I want to see a bear" to "dear god where am I going to put all these bears????"....Lets hope!

what an excellent idea! I'll get one to you as soon as I can get to the Post Office.

These e-mails are what keep me going and I'm also happy to say that now I am sure bears are coming getting them to their new homes is being worked on

Just a quick update

It's been a weird day. To those not in the USA it is a holiday here, so I sit feeding out info on what I am trying to do and my spirits rise when someone either emails and says they are sending a bear or someone else says they have posted links everywhere (mega big thanks on both counts). But it is strange as (apart from some bears to go from myself) there are no bears here - I know that with the holiday the earliest bears will start arriving on their journey south will be Wednesday so its like, I'm doing this, I believe in this, I'm going to make this work but where are the bears.

Many years ago I was involved in the launch of a company and I remember vividly us sending out an enormous mailshot and then the wait to see if anyone responded - happily they did - please let it happen this time for the children. I do sometimes wonder whether I'm crazy trying to do this but I only have to see another news report and know I dont have choice.

If you want to contact me there is now an email link on the right

Teddy's wanna go south YAY

lets get to 100 teddys

Having had the idea that a teddy to a child would be a way to help earlier in the week watching pictures of Hurricane Katrina and laying in bed it wasn't until Saturday I thought this is only going to happen if I do something (I had tried to google to find a someone who did this kind of thing with no luck). So I bit the bullet and posted the following on both my regular blog (link on the side if you want to know who I am) and on a website where I regularly visit and post.

OK so we have all moaned and griped and lots of us have put our hands in our pockets and have donated cash and still we want to DO something to help the Hurricane Katrina victims.

I find the pictures of children with just a diaper on and nothing else to their name heart wrenching, as I am sure everyone does. I happen to love teddy bears and I cannot imagine a child without one especially at this time when they have so little - many of you know how a teddy bear can sometimes be the best friend to hug (ok kittens are good too but that would be a bit hard when you see where this is going)

I know food, clothes and money will be donated but I want to give as many children as possible a teedy bear back to hold through the dark nights ahead.

I am therefore asking if anyone reading this has a new or almost new teddy bear they can spare and they would like to donate it you can contact me via my email

My aim is to get 100 teddy bears to send down south, and the thought of their faces when thay are handed out justifies my time and trouble

It was posted late Saturday night, within minutes I was contacted, by Sunday morning my sister-in-law contacted me offering both teddys and a warehousing shipping facilty from her business (very BIG thankyou). Then I was contacted by another website user offfering to contact people who could get this out much further and faster (again a very BIG thankyou) I was then contacted by a friend in England who offered me some teddy's from her own collection (an enormous thankyou I know how precious they are). My breath has been taken away by peoples genorosity and it does restore ones faith in humanity despite some glaring ommisions we may have seen in the past week. This afternoon my husband and I headed out to the local county fair here and approached all the radio and tv stations that were present - hopefully I'm going to hear something back tommorrow.

Because people are now contacting me left right and center I hope my initial desire for 100 teddy's can be exceeded but apart from mine and the two we acquired today at the fair the proof as they say is in seeing teddys so please if you can spare a teddy send it now to

Teddys for Hope
c/o Jentre Products
1054 Grandview Road
Oil City, PA, 16301

or contact me at teddysforhope@gmail.com

Thankyou

Teddys waiting to go

I just recieved an email from a friend and basically she headed out to get a bear, got five (us teddy folk understand this) and whilst standing checking out was asked why she was buying five. She explained and was asked to wait whilst other shoppers went and grabbed a bear checked it out and handed it to her. I cannot believe that from such a small idea you can touch people so much. I cannot say thank you enough - this is the picture of those bears waiting to be packed up to start their journey. My friend did say it gave her one of the warmest feelings she had known.

Please if your reading this help to send a bear for a child to
Teddys for Hope
c/o Jentre Products
1054 Grandview Road
Oil City, PA, 16301

or contact me at Tedysforhope@gmail.com

I will try to keep this updated with what is happening so people can track the bears all the way. I'm winging this bear with me (oooh that was a bad one)

c/o

Birth of an idea

So often we sit watching tragedies unfold on television and feel there is nothing we can do except make a donation. Hurricane Katrina moved me to tears watching pictures nightly of children hopeless and babies in diapers with nothing else to their name. I made my donation but I wanted to do more.

I have always adored teddy bears and know how often they can often feel like our only friend and sole confident - their hug always unconditional. To see so many children without that kind of friend made me decide to act. I do not want to take away from any donation to major charities that will enable food, clothes and life essentials to children this is something you can do personally after that donation.

I am asking people to send me a teddy bear so that one by one we can return a friend to those who at this moment feel they have none.