Stitched with tender loving care, Memory Bears are not your ordinary stuffed animal.
Waid Funeral Home and Cremation Service is organizing and facilitating the creation of teddy bears made out of clothing left behind by loved ones who have passed away. Nicole Geisen and Anna Winningham, both funeral directors at Waid Funeral Home, agree that when a loved one dies, families are faced with many painful decisions. Deciding what to do with their clothing is one of them. Creating a memory bear from one or more garments can help families hold onto those special articles of clothing in the form of a huggable teddy bear.
On Friday, Oct. 24 the event will go from 4-8 p.m. and again on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Staff and volunteer seamstresses will be on hand at Waid Funeral Home to assist family members in cutting, stuffing, and personalizing their own memory bears.
Coordinator of event, Jaci Ziebell, states “There is no cost for families to participate in this event and there are no special skills required to do it. The only items families need to bring to the funeral home are the clean article(s) of clothing, a 12 oz. bag of fiber fill for stuffing, and buttons for the eyes and nose. If there are other items that can be stitched to the bear to personalize it or to symbolize a special characteristic of a loved one, families are welcome to bring those along as well.”
According to the staff, they learned of the idea from a family that created teddy bears from their grandfather’s flannel work and hunting shirts. The grandchildren were each given a bear for Christmas with the message to wrap their arms around the bear whenever they needed a hug from Grandpa. “It just seemed like such a wonderful and comforting way to remember a loved one, we decided to try the project here in Merrill,” says Paul Waid.
Please call to reserve your spot for the event no later than Monday, Oct. 20. The number to call is 715-436-4646.
There is also more room for volunteer seamstresses. Those interested in volunteering are also asked to contact the funeral home by Monday, Oct. 20.
This event is offered in spring and fall each year.