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Teddy bears bring smiles to local hospital


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Area Lions Clubs and the Community Blood Center are teaming up for the annual Teddy Bear and Friends for Wayne HealthCare Patients, making it financially possible to provide teddy bears and other stuffed animals to patients over the holidays. On Dec. 11 the Lions Clubs will sponsor a blood drive at Greenville Church of the Brethren on Central Avenue in Greenville, where donors will get to sign gift tags for these special friends for patients.
12/1/2012 11:48:00 PM

 By Staff Report

 DARKE COUNTY - Providing big smiles and a little comfort to Wayne HealthCare patients over the last 16 years. That is exactly what the Lions Clubs from Arcanum, Gettysburg, Greenville, and Pitsburg have been doing. These local Lions Clubs partnered with Community Blood Center many years ago and created the Teddy Bears and Friends for Wayne HealthCare program. They make it financially possible to purchase teddy bears and other stuffed animals that are given out to patients at Wayne HealthCare during the Christmas Holiday Season.

“This is definitely a joint effort. The Lions Clubs provide the finances and I purchase the stuffed bundles of love. I don’t take this job lightly either. I make sure to purchase the cutest ones I can find and imagine the smiles and joy they must bring to a child who has to visit the hospital for any reason during the Holiday Season,” stated CBC Account Representative Dana Puterbaugh.

Not only do these Lions Clubs provide the finances for the Teddy Bears and Friends for Wayne HealthCare patients, they also host the December Community Blood Drive in Greenville. The stuffed animals are brought to the blood drive. Everyone who comes to donate blood gets to sign a special gift tag that is attached to the stuffed animal of their choice. After the blood drive the specially tagged stuffed animals are taken to Wayne HealthCare and distributed to different departments. They are now ready to be given out to patients at Wayne HealthCare, to help make them feel better.

There are many great stories of how this small gesture has made a huge difference in the patient. A few blood donors have actually received letters of thanks from the patient’s family.

Show appreciation for these fine Lions Clubs for making a difference, by providing blood as well as comfort during the holidays to local patients.

The blood drive on Dec. 11 marks the 17th year for Teddy Bears and Friends for Wayne HealthCare Patients. The blood drive will be held at Greenville Church of the Brethren on 421 Central Ave. in Greenville. Donation hours will be from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., and appointments are encouraged.

“Thank you so much to the Lions Clubs of Arcanum, Gettysburg, Greenville, and Pitsburg for you community service,” stated Puterbaugh.

Everyone who registers to donate blood now through Dec. 31 will also receive a special gift. Community Blood Center (CBC) is helping donors bundle up this December with the new “Blood Donor – Save Lives” knit scarf in scarlet and grey.

This neck wear is both practical and stylish and arrives just in time for the gift-gathering time of year. The scarf is free to everyone who registers to donate at any CBC branch and most mobile blood drives Nov. 26 through Dec. 31. The scarlet and grey colors are both holiday festive and unmistakably connected to the Ohio State Buckeyes.


 

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