SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Kuddles for Kids has sewn its last stitch.
Founded by a group of Summerside-area women in 2006, Kuddles for Kids volunteers have been gathering to cut, sew and stuff teddy bears and dolls ever since. To date, their hand-made toys, dresses and blankets have brought comfort to children in 36 countries.
According to their records, they’ve created 9,572 teddy bears alone since they started sewing together. But faced with challenges such as their fleece supplier going out of business and increasing difficulty finding distributors for their creations, the group has decided to disband.
It was a hard decision, but it was ultimately for the best, said Carol Ann Newson, one of Kuddles for Kids’ founders.
“It’s mixed emotions among the volunteers.
“It has provided more than just an opportunity to make things for needy children. It’s provided socialization. It’s provided an outing for some of the older (volunteers). So, it’s going to have off-shoots we didn’t expect when the project began.”
Kuddles For Kids, by the numbers
- 13 years
- 36 countries
- 9,572 teddy bears
- 600 dresses
- 740 blankets
- 1,246 dolls
There was cake, a table lined with newspaper clippings about the project over the years, photos of children from all over the world with their new dolls or clothes and plenty of laughter.
Vivian Graham, 98, (Newson’s mother) has been a regular volunteer with the group since the beginning. She will miss the comradery, but she’s happy at the thought of having helped some children.
“I feel sad … you made a lot of friends,” she said. “It just gave you a nice feeling, that you were helping some little kids who had nothing.”
The party was a chance to celebrate all they’ve done, added Carolyn Mackie, another long-time volunteer.
“We’re celebrating the project. It’s sad to see that this group probably will not be together again, but it’s also so fulfilling and joyful to know that we’ve done so much,” she said.
Even though Kuddles for Kids won’t be officially meeting anymore, they do still have a stockpile of several hundred teddy bears and a few other items that are available.
Anyone travelling to an area of the world where there are children who could use these items can contact Mackie at 902-831-2286 or Newson 902-436-9816 to make arrangements.
The most recent delivery is being made by seasonal P.E.I. resident Katie Hickox.
Hickox and her late husband started spending part of the year in South Africa years ago and she travels there regularly. She has helped Kuddles for Kids make arrangements to get their items to some of her contacts near the community of Hluhluwe, when they will be distributed to children at the local school.
Giving a gift like a doll to a child who really has nothing like that to call their own is a powerful experience, she said, and she’s happy to help Kuddles for Kids do it.
“The children have almost nothing. The teddy bears will be possession they will cherish,” said Hickox.
Though Kuddles for Kids is ending, its legacy will live on around the world.
That is a comforting thought, said Newson.
