The Park Manor Cut-ups: Sewing To Help Others

The Park Manor Cut-ups: Sewing To Help Others

Shared_Park-Manor-2Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon at 2:00, a charming group of women gather together at The Park Manor Senior Apartments to sew teddy-bears for the Bear Hugs Program through Home Hospice of Grayson, Cooke, & Fannin County, which takes clothing once worn by a deceased family member to create a teddy bear from the fabric.  These bears allow the family members to hold memories of their loved one close to their hearts.  This particular group of ladies has made more than 100 bears already this year, and they have been named the “Park Manor Cut-Ups.”

“We were sitting together playing games one day, and we decided we ought to go to work and do something for other people,” said Marie Davis, who has been nick-named head honcho of the group.  “I saw an article in the newspaper about the Home Hospice Bear Hugs Program and decided it was a program we could help with.”

The Park Manor Cut-Ups is made up of women from all different walks of life including a long-time school teacher, a paralegal, and even an eighteen wheeler truck driver.  Although they are all retired now, they are working hard to help others.

“We’ve still got abilities that can help someone else, and we wanted to use those abilities to help Home Hospice,” said Deloros Bennett, seamstress for the group.

“One thing that got me interested in helping this group was that we all used to have productive and busy lives and we worked hard; this was a way we could still do something productive on a very worthwhile project,” said Linda Douglass.  “I feel like I’ve done something for somebody, and we’ve all been touched by Home Hospice in one way or another.”

Not only do these ladies get a lot of work done, but they also manage to provide the money for all the supplies and materials they need to make the bears.  The Park Manor Cut-Ups create other stuffed animals or crafts for resale to provide money for their supplies.  The work they do is so admired by the other residents of Park Manor, that several of the residents have donated their own supplies to the project.

As they gathered the completed bears to bring to the Home Hospice office where family members pick up their keepsake, you could hear the ladies talking to the bears.  One of them reassured the bears, “You’re about to go home.”

“We try to give each of the bears a personality, but it’s not just about making the bears; it’s about the fellowship,” said Linda.  “In the last year, everyone has been hit by death and we share each others’ burdens.  This is family out here.”

The work done by the Park Manor Cut-Ups and by other Bear Hugs volunteers brings joy to family members who have lost a loved one.

A letter sent to Home Hospice says:

“Dear Home Hospice Volunteer,

            I want to thank you again for the precious bears you made out of my dear husband’s clothes.  Those I show the bears to, agree that is such a lovely tribute you give to those of us who have lost a loved one.  I am so appreciative.” 

To learn more about Home Hospice, the Home Hospice Bear Hugs Program or other volunteer programs visit the Volunteer Programs Page.



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