Teddy Bears Toys

Teddy Bear Clinic: TLC for Furry Friends

Going to a hospital can be a difficult experience for anyone, especially a child. Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston held its 5th annual Teddy Bear Clinic in order to ease kids' fears about the whole experience.

More than 200 kids brought their favorite stuffed animals to the  clinic , where they each received a "passport" with the animal's name. They then proceeded through a variety of different stations where they learned about x-rays, intravenous medications, hospital beds, proper hygiene, nutrition, exercise, and many more aspects of the hospital. The bears (and other animals) received a sticker at each stop for their passport and an occasional band-aid.

Doctors and nurses got down on the floor to meet the variety of children and their stuffed friends. Members of the West Orange Fire department were also on hand to give a tour of a fire engine and dispense goody bags filled with healthy snacks, coloring books, a jump rope, and pamphlets about fire safety. Parents also took home a bag, which included a smoke alarm.

The Justin Charity Bear Fund, a foundation which exists to give bears to children who are underprivileged and ill, was also on hand, distributing a new teddy bear to each young  attendee. When asked what the best part of the experience was, one child replied, "getting a new bear."

The Teddy Bear clinic receives support from the John La Conti M.D. Child Life Fund. It is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Toys R Us, Sodexo and Whole Foods in Montclair.

Related Topics:  Saint Barnabas Medical Center  and  Teddy Bear Clinic

The Fable Of The Teddy Bear And The Gift Flowers: Poignant ...

Nowadays, teddy bears and flowers are among the preferred gifts for any occasion. At a baby christening, a cuddly stuffed toy is gifted. It is a box of sterling roses for a wedding anniversary. A stuffed teddy bear plus a bouquet of flowers commemorate a birthday. A sweetheart will enjoy snuggling with a life-sized stuffed Koala while holding her box of pink roses. A great housewarming present is a pair of his and hers teddy bear, plus a pot of chrysanthemums.

Special affairs are not even needed in order to give bears and flowers as gifts. One simply gives bears and flowers to show love, gratitude, surprise, even condolences and get-well-soon wishes. Gift giving is said to trace its origins to the birth of the human race. Bartering started the custom of gift giving, aver historical chronicles. Giving away lands as a form of inheritance was also considered as a form of gift-giving. The high-ranking echelon of society presented gifts as a sign of gratitude, renewed friendships or earned privileges.

There are also hidden meanings behind particular gifts. According to the traditions of Ancient Romans, coins meant successfulness, lamps lighted one’s journey through life, and pastries stood for happiness. The Three Wise Men gave the Baby Jesus gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold. The egg, when passed on as a gift, stood for fertility, according to Persian culture. The meaning of flowers as a gift also includes expressions of love, sincerity, strength of character, etc. etc. Care and nurture are symbolized by teddy bears. They also draw out feelings of warmth.

The tradition of giving flowers has an early history. Grave sites of long ago have yielded evidence of floral fossils. Accounts of giving flowers are also common in Egyptian hieroglyphics, very early Chinese writings and even ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Giving flowers was regarded by early cultures as an effective means of conveying opinions, ideas and emotions. Ancient Greeks believed flowers had an affinity with the divine. All throughout the Middle Ages, the custom of giving flowers was kept strong. The French and the English also kept the practice of gifting flowers alive.

A hunting incident involving former United States President Theodore Roosevelt was the inspiration for the teddy bear. In 1902, President Roosevelt was invited by the Mississippi Governor Andrew H. Longino to go hunting. President Roosevelt was asked by his attendants to blast a black bear that they had tied to a willow tree. However, the President declined because he thought it was very unsportsmanlike. The bear was still shot though, upon his orders, to free it of its misery. This incident became the topic of a political cartoon.

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