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Bridging People and PlacesOne Person at a Time |
How You Can Help: VOLUNTEER ~ FUNDRAISE ~ DONATE ~ GIVE a PRODUCT or SERVICE
♥ Teach young people the importance of caring and sharing through volunteering
♥ Increase sensitivity, acceptance and respect for special needs children
♥ Apply unique talents of children to a service project for other children
♥ Promote self-esteem and build leadership skills
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"Kids Helping Kids” is a Bridging People and Places program that teaches children the value of caring and sharing through volunteering. The program provides an opportunity for children to build self- esteem and develop leadership skills working on a worthwhile service project that has a direct impact on other youth. Learning you are part of something larger than yourself is an important part of service learning. In applying their talent and energy to projects for the “Bear Hugs Project” at Double H Ranch, and other programs for abused and neglected kids... youth are able to make a difference in the lives of other less fortunate children. Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cub Scouts, YMCA programs, church youth groups, and schools participate in our program. Kids Helping Kids Projects
Creating Artwork Blocks for Quilts Another "Kids Helping Kids" project is creating fabric artwork blocks that will be made into quilts and pillows for other socially disadvantaged children or children with serious illnesses. Click here for patterns for making quilts.
Knitting Teddy Bear Sweaters and Hats A number of youth groups have been involved in knitting the sweaters and hats for our bears. Click here for the pattern for the sweaters.
Dressing Bears and Filling Them With Love Many youth organizations dress our bears in their hand made sweaters and hats and fill them up with wonderful hugs and love for the children who will receive them.
"Bear Dens" to Carry Our Bears Each bear travels to its new owner tucked inside a "Bear Den." These "Dens" are bags with handles that are decorated by children with artwork and have positive messages written on them for the child who will receive the bear.
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Kids Helping Kids Projects In 2004, Kids Helping Kids in the Capital Region of upstate New York sent 25 quilts and more than 500 courage and friendship bracelets to the Children in the Wilderness Program in Namibia, Africa. This program serves African children from socially disadvantaged rural villages and youth who have been orphaned by AIDS. In addition, they dress the teddy bears we donate to Double "H" Hole in the Woods Ranch, a camp for children with serious and life-threatening illnesses in Lake Luzerne, NY. Volunteer Projects Completed by Children From the Troy Area Under the leadership of Ginny Hanby, a retired Tamarac Elementary School teacher, the following Kids Helping Kids projects were completed by children in the Tamarac Elementary School, Rensselaer Elementary School in Lansingburgh, the Tamarac Kids Care Club Grades 6-8, and the Brunswick church after school program: 763 children from these groups decorated 1,000 bags for Double H Ranch and creating artwork blocks for 50 quilts.
25 of these quilts were sent to Africa; the remaining 25 will be given to area shelters for Domestic Violence for use on the beds for children. |
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Eight students from the "Kids Care Club," an after school program lead by Val Dechene, met with Mrs. Hanby and Mrs. Craney, both retired teachers, to learn to quilt. They students did the drawings, took turns sewing the quilt top, helped layer the quilt, tied it, and made the binding. The quilt was presented to Bridging People and Places and has been given to the Saratoga Shelter for Domestic Violence. |
Mrs. Hanby's First Grade Class and Their "Bear Hugs Project" For Double H Campers
Dressing Bears
| Mrs. Hanby's was very involved in our "Kids Helping Kids Bear Hugs Project." The children learned about Double H Ranch and dressed bears for the campers in sweaters and hats made by Bridging People and Places volunteers. Many of the sweaters were made by their teacher, Mrs. Hanby. The class filled the teddy bears with hugs to flow out to the children at "The Ranch" and make them smile. |
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Dressing Bears and Filling Them With Special Hugs
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"Bear Dens" When the bears arrive at "The Ranch," they travel to the campers in "Bear Dens," special white handle paper bags decorated by children and carrying positive messages to the campers. The entire Tamarac Elementary School participated in decorating over 1,000 bags. |
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A message to the children who decorated "Bear Dens"... "Thank you so much for all that you did on our "Bear Hugs" project. You did a great job. You may not ever get to meet the children at the Double H Ranch, but please remember this, you have done a wonderful thing that will make many people happy! Keep volunteering! You can make a difference in the lives of others! I am proud of you!" Mrs. Hanby |
"Teddy Bear Day"
| Mrs. Hanby's first graders had a special "Teddy Bear Day" to work on decorating their bags and making sponge painted teddy bear shirts. |
 Mrs. Hanby's Class |
| "The Fabulous Quilt" for Double H Ranch Every child in Mrs. Hanby's class drew their own block for the quilt. Each block shows an activity or something special that happens at Double H Ranch. Mrs. Hanby and several of the moms assembled the quilt. With great pride, the class presented the "The Fabulous Quilt." The quilt now hangs at Double H for all for the campers to enjoy.
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"The Fabulous Quilt!" is presented to Hollie Vanderzee and Eileen Minder |
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Elicia Spagnola's K-2 Special Ed class, Hope DeZolt's kindergarten class, and Jen Porter's 2nd grade class joined with 4th and 5th grade Student Council members to help Bridging People and Places dress and hug bears for Double H. On "Friendship Day" (Valentine's Day), the children dressed 110 bears and filled them up with lots of hugs and good wishes for the campers. All of the sweaters and hats used to dress the bears were knit by Joan Sullivan, who has made over 1,000 bear sweaters to date. Joan helped students dress bears. |
