MV Residents Make ‘Dolls of Hope’

By LAURA ROBISON

The Progress

A total of 64 dolls and bears were made by volunteers oas part of the community ‘Dolls Of Hope’ project. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA CHILDS.

About two dozen volunteers from the Moapa Valley community participated in the “Dolls Of Hope” project on Saturday, June 25 at the New Hope Christian Church in Overton. The helpers could stop by between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to lend a hand, and no less than 64 dolls and teddy bears were made. These comforting stuffed toys will be given to local Metro Police and first responders to comfort children they encounter during times of distress.

There were four stations available for volunteers to put the bears together, including sewing, turning, stuffing and closing which was hand-stitched. All the material was donated by residents, and the patterns were cut out by the local teens during a Youth Conference held in March by the Logandale Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I came here today with my wife Lisa because we wanted to help our community,” said Alan Childs who was working as a ‘stuffer’ on Saturday. “I was thinking about little kids and how something minor can be so traumatic. A doll that a child can hold on to can make a big difference.”

Eight-year old Elsie Weiss went to help, with her mom and sister. “I like Teddy bears and I want to help other kids feel better,” she said.

Larry Griffiths, the local JustServe.com coordinator, said that this is the first project of an ongoing series to complete the bears and dolls for children.
“Right now we are putting together the basic bears,” Griffiths said. “We have to follow certain quality control standards. After the bears are inspected, then the next project will be to add faces to the plush animals.”

Griffiths explained that the goal is not a specific number of completed bears. Rather it is more about what people could give of their time and talents.

The next date for this service project is scheduled for August 27. The location will be different as Griffiths will be asking each local church to be a host.

This and upcoming events are official projects of Dolls Of Hope International whose mission is to “strive to bring Hope and Joy to children one doll or bear at a time because we believe every child deserves to have a toy to cherish….especially children in crisis and children who have nothing.”

To find out more about Dolls Of Hope, visit www.dollsofhope.org.

To find out how to serve as a volunteer for the next project, visit https://www.justserve.org/projects/ca993869-3067-47ea-a3b6-35549f6b5595.

To find more ways to help in the Moapa Valley, visit www.JustServe.org.