I worked with Circle K and I made hand-stitched teddy bears for terminally ill children. This is just one of the many projects that Circle K allows for volunteers to engage in on our own campus. Some of their other activities include on campus service on Wednesday nights, volunteering with beagles on Saturday mornings and they serve food in Atlantic City at a soup kitchen.

In order to be able to participate in this activity I attended Circle K’s first meeting for the spring semester and I signed up to make bears for terminally ill children because I love kids and I felt like this opportunity was the most appealing to me. I went to the upper level of the Campus Center and picked out some blue-tie-dyed fabric. In order to make the bear I had to pick up a template and then fold the fabric in half in order to lay the template on top of it. I pinned the template on the fabric and cut around the edges very carefully because I did not want to have an imperfect bear. Then I took the template off pinned the fabric back together and picked up my needle and thread. I threaded the needle with blue thread and tied my knot to ensure a tight, everlasting stitch. Once I finished sealing the edges I turned the teddy bear inside out and began to stuff him. After the teddy bear reached his fill I sewed his last little opening up and drew eyes, a nose, and a mouth on his face.

I felt a sense of completion after I had invested about two and a half hours into this little teddy bear; in a way I felt attached to it. I had sewn the teddy bear with my love and care for a child. I can only imagine this child’s reaction upon receiving my little, fluffy creation. I wonder if a boy or girl will be the new owner, but it does not matter because he or she will greatly appreciate this bear.