Bucks County Wesley Enhanced Living residents making bears to comfort young Ukrainian refugees

DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Because the struggle within the Ukraine continues, some older adults in Bucks County are engaged on a mission to assist carry consolation to among the youthful refugees pressured to flee their homeland with their households.

For the previous few months, Micki Keifer, a resident at Wesley Enhanced Dwelling – Doylestown, Bucks County, has been constructing a slew of bears with the intent of bringing bear hugs to younger refugees abroad.

“We’re sending these over with just a little coronary heart on them,” she mentioned

“So these bears, and there is over 50 of them, we’re sending them to a convent in Kraków, Poland,” defined Christine Weyer, the Actions Coordinator with Private Care at Wesley Enhanced Dwelling in Doylestown. “They have been housing refugees from the Ukraine.”

Weyer has a private connection to the area.

“There’s a nun there that has a particular relationship with my brother and his spouse,” she mentioned. “They’re in want of a lot of issues, however we thought, why not ship them a few of our bears?”

“I simply find it irresistible. They’re such enjoyable to make,” mentioned Keifer. “I am very glad to be part of it.”

Keifer joined the stitching group when she moved there a couple of 12 months and a half in the past.

“Sewed for my youngsters once they have been youthful and so I introduced my stitching machine with me. And I am joyful that I did,” she mentioned.

The bigger stitching group began making bears again in 2008.

“They wished to provide them to the native hospitals and police division,” mentioned Weyer. “They usually’ve donated over 1,800 bears since that point.”

Claire Bamford, who additionally resides at Wesley Enhanced Dwelling in Doylestown, says the bigger stitching group is concerned in making different tasks, like soup bowl cozies, that they promote to the group.

“We simply have an assortment of issues that we do,” she mentioned. “I really feel excellent about it.”

At the moment, Keifer and Kass Vogle have been the only handcrafters of the bears.

“They’re made in lots of colours and so they’re felt,” mentioned Keifer. “There is a sample that is lower.”

Vogle will get the bears began by tracing the sample onto the material and reducing it out and Keifer does the ending work. She says she stitches throughout the bear, leaving just a little opening for the stuffing.

Then, the bears are turned inside out and crammed. Keifer says a whole lot of polyester batting is used to stuff the bears.

“We’re all so joyful we’re sending these,” she mentioned.

Keifer says she hopes the bears will carry the younger Ukrainian refugees some consolation – “like a safety blanket.”

Weyer says it felt “great” realizing that residents wished to ship some love and assist from right here within the U.S. abroad to the Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

“When just a little baby holds one, they’re simply going to have a smile on their face,” mentioned Keifer.

For extra data:
Wesley Enhanced Dwelling – Doylestown