Dottie's Bears

This is an organization of one woman, Dottie Slomer, who is my elderly mother (almost 80). She began this project twelve years ago when she was forced to give up her craft business due to health issues. She makes small stuffed bears that are given to Butler Memorial Hospital to use in their emergency room. Children who come in to the ER are most often frightened and having a little stuffed bear to hold on to brings them comfort. Since this mission began twelve years ago, almost 14k bears have been created and distributed. That averages out to approx. 1,200 bears a year. In the beginning it was a project to keep her busy. After her own trips to the emergency room, she now sees first-hand the comfort that these little bears bring to the children.