Optimists arrange for
swaddling clothes for Beanie Babies
Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009
By Linda May, Macomb Daily Special Writer
Swaddling clothes are just part of the Christmas story, so the Central Macomb Optimist Club rounded up people
who knit and crochet to make swaddling blankets for donated Beanie Babies toys.
They gave them to children in Kids Kicking Cancer, other cancer patients, and grieving children in
the SandCastles program.
Kids Kicking Cancer provides weekly classes in the mind-body techniques of martial arts for children who have cancer.
Its mission is to "ease the pain of very sick children while empowering them to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally."
"We got our idea from another Optimist club in our district,"
Central Optimist President Elaine Lyon said. "We had no idea how this program would blossom for us.
It is truly heartwarming how many people donated the Beanie Babies they had packed away and enlisted the help of their friends and relatives to make the swaddles."
The club held "swaddle parties" to be sure they had enough Beanie Babies
to help out other hospitals and organizations that help children who are ill.
Each swaddled toy has a note attached that says it was "made with hugs" and came from the Optimists.
Notes read: "When you are sad or mad or scared or bored, hold this square close to you and it will give you the comfort of a million hugs."
Young cancer patients in the Kids Kicking Cancer program at the Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center,
and their siblings, picked out their toys, and 50 more went to hospitalized children.
"Club members were rewarded firsthand to see a wonderful smile on the face of a 13-year-old cancer patient
as she carefully selected her very own Beanie," Lyon said.
"The kids love them," said Cindy Cohen from the martial arts program at the regional center.
She said the toys generated excitement for the children.
"I know that sometimes people wonder if their efforts really make a difference,
and I hope that everyone involved in this project could know that they truly have," said Deb Winette from SandCastles.
To get involved in the Beanie Babies program or the Central Macomb Optimist Club
, contact Lyon at (586) 791-8006 or visit www.centralmacomboptimist.org.
Magic Hug Squares
The Beanie Babies have arrived- and being distributed to the children!
The CMOC started this project and the results have been phenomenal!
We have collected donations of Beanie Babies and have found helpers to knit or crochet swaddles for them.
The Beanie Babies are then donated to children with cancer or other sick children.
Our first donation of Magic Hugs went tthe Kids Kicking Cancer Program at the Ted B. Wahby Cancer Center.