While Greisha Naylor and Dorothy Carter were busy putting stuffed animals on a table to roll into the cafeteria of Golden Living Center on Hwy. 39 North, Sallie Gray was barking out orders like an Army drill sergeant.
Naylor, the activities director and Carter, the assistant activities director, just smiled and did as Gray said. This was Gray's project as a resident of the living center and they were just doing what they were told. But everyone was pitching in for a worthy cause. A cause of which many people in the general public aren't even aware.
"I had seen these sorts of things in the news before and thought this would be a great project for us," said Gray, who is the chairperson for Project Teddy Bear. "We can't get out and collect donations like a lot of people can so we rely on ourselves to fill the need."
The need is that of children who for whatever reason are exposed to criminal activity or who have been involved in traffic accidents. Law enforcement officers like Guyton Montgomery with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department and Lt. Wade Johnson of the Meridian Police Department have seen firsthand how children are sucked up into tragic and stressful situations by the acts of adults. Both officers say a little gesture can go a long way into helping the child deal with such trauma.
"These teddy bears and other stuffed animals will be used to give to children who are distraught or traumatized in some way," said Montgomery, who said during his career he has given out approximately 50 stuffed animals to children. "These small tokens really do work."
Gray, Naylor and Carter asked the residents and staff members at the living center to donate what they could. In some cases, said Gray, the residents gave up stuffed animals they have had for quite some time. Once the stuffed animals were collected they were cleaned and fluffed up so they would be soft and cuddly for the child when they received it.
"These are great for when kids are involved in traffic accidents," said Johnson. "You wouldn't believe how calm they get when they have something to hold onto."
And both officers agree, law enforcement personnel handing out stuffed animals to children does shine a different light on how those kids perceive officers.
"This is really a great thing and we've collected about 30 stuffed animals this time around," said Naylor. "A few weeks of work will hopefully bring a smile to a child in a time of need. That gives us a great thing to think about."
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Teddy Bear Hugs
Stuffed animals help children overcome trauma
- Local News
-
-
Serving the community
-
Chisolm named deputy director
-
MCC program gets ‘outrageous’ start
- Amtrak Exhibit Train coming to Meridian
-
Doors of newly renovated city hall opened to the public
The wait is finally over ...
Meridian's newly restored city hall has reclaimed its place as a majestic focal point in downtown. More than five years in the making, the doors of the nearly 100-year-old building were reopened to the public Tuesday during an open house ceremony. -
Veteran sentenced in shooting
A military veteran who was charged with the shooting of his wife two years ago was sentenced Monday in Lauderdale County Circuit Court to 20 years.
-
Shelter from the storm
The memory of Hurricane Katrina has not faded much in the seven years since that devastating August day and because of her lasting impression, Lauderdale County is still reaping the benefits of a proactive approach to preparing for any and all types of natural disasters.
-
Money woes delay police station
Construction of a new police station has stopped and isn’t scheduled to resume until March 15, project developer David Watkins confirmed Tuesday.
Watkins said the project, renovating an old grocery store building on 22nd Avenue into a new police station that will serve the entire department, has taken significantly longer than expected to finance. -
Supervisor voices opposition to site
District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell says emphatically he is not against the county securing a grant from FEMA for the proposed $3.2 million Lauderdale County Community Shelter.
He understands fully the welfare of county residents lies heavily on the shoulders of county officials in making well rounded decisions that will benefit the most people without putting an undue financial burden on the taxpayer. But at the same time, Newell said if the vote had been Monday to approve or reject the acceptance of the funding, he would have voted against the project. -
Student Visit Burton
- More Local News Headlines
-
Killer of Fla. Girl Found in Landfill Gets Life
Army Orders Bradley Manning Court-martial
Cancer Charity Revives Breast-screening Grants
Heavy Snowstorm Hits Colorado On Its Way East
2nd Teacher From LA School Arrested on Sex Claim
Prosecutors Close Armstrong Inquiry, No Charges
Sights and Sounds: Football Fans Pour Into Indy
Unemployment Rate Down to 8.3%
Obama: Still Far Too Many Americans Need Jobs
GOP: Jobs Numbers Welcome, Can Do Better
Fla. Man Adopts Girlfriend in Legal Battle
More Deaths As Egypt Clashes Continue
Raw Video: Prince William in Falklands
Egpyt Protesters Blame Police for Soccer Deaths
'Lucky' 9-Year-Old Receives 6-Organ Transplant
Raw Video: Michelle Vs. Ellen in Pushup Contest
First Person: Will Peyton Manning Stay in Indy?
Egypt Shaken After Deadly Soccer Riot
New Suits, New Starts for New York's Unemployed
Hall of Famer Dorsett Speaks Out on NFL Injuries
