Bears for the better

Bears is the word of the day for one group of ladies in Cherokee Village.

Off and on for the last 30 years, ladies with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) have spent hours each month creating stuffed bears to be given to those in need.

According to Judy Breitenfeld, one of the members of the LWML Hug a Bear Division, each month, the group meets to stuff and sew handmade bears.

“We create little bears and bigger bears to pass out to the Cherokee Village Emergency Room, the county clinic, nursing homes, Fulton County Hospital, some lamaze classes and to any child or hurting adult who needs something to hold on to when they’re going through a difficult time or a difficult procedure,” Breitenfeld said.

On the third Friday of each month, the group of dedicated ladies, and anyone who would like to join them, will meet at the Peace Lutheran Church in Cherokee Village at 9 a.m. to being the bear manufacturing process.

Although at first glance, the bears seem simple, deep thought, care, time and work go into their making. The bears are each hand cut, hand stuffed, hand drawn and hand sewn by the ladies of the group.

“Usually we do them in steps. I timed it once and it takes about five minutes to sew, 10 minutes to draw the faces, another five minutes to stuff each bear and then about five more minutes of stitching,” said Nona McLeran, another member of the Hug a Bear Division.

McLeran said the assembling of the bears wasn’t the most time consuming part, sometimes the hardest part is waiting for the perfect backing to come along to match the front of the bear.

“You want to make sure your print isn’t too crazy so you can see the face of the bear, but you also want the back to be something fun and thoughtful,” McLeran said.

All of the fabric used by the group has been donated from various organizations, allowing them to make the bears and distribute them.

“All of the fabric has been donated, we got a lot from the arts center and occasionally Walmart will help us with the fiber fill and so we have a lot of help. Our LWML give us money occasionally and Thirvent gave us money for a sewing machine,” Breitenfeld said. “We’ve been doing this for years and years.”

Although the ladies were not certain the specific year the bears came into existence, they were in agreement it has been a decades long tradition, one which they hope will continue.

For anyone who would like to learn to make the bears, or to come and volunteer, the group meets the third Friday of each month from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.

“They don’t have to be members of the church, or of the LWML. We welcome anyone and children are also welcome. We will teach them what to do. It is good fellowship for us, we have a good time, have some snacks.. it’s a lot of fun,” McLeran said. “How many bears we are able to finish depends on how many volunteers come.”

To join the group, donate material, request bears for your organization or for more information contact Rebecca Maplesden at 847-257-8364.