Becoming...

“When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

~The Velveteen Rabbit

This past weekend I played 'surgeon' at the zoo's annual Teddy Bear Clinic.

All day Saturday and Sunday children of all ages brought in their made-from-cloth friends, large and small.

As the families arrived, they went through a check-in process where 'patients' and owners got matching armbands. Making sure the stuffed critter got back to its rightful owner was paramount to the health of all.

After check-in, the 'patients' and parents followed a path to wellness... they stopped at various stations to get their eyes and ears checked, and blood pressure and heart rates noted. As well as weights and heights and a wee bit of grooming along the way.

Such a creative and fun way for children to learn about medical check-ups, and for stuffed animals to get the repairs they needed.

Some check-up stations for the wee ones...

As you know, giving back to the community is good for my soul, and stitching up boo-boos on well-loved fabric friends definitely falls into that category.

The two-day event provided ample opportunity for the fifty or so volunteers to use creative problem-solving skills.

Whether looking in the ears of a fish or checking the pulse of a snake or finding the heart rate of a blanket, the 'health care' workers all managed to make it seem real for the children and their beloved companions.

Some of our 'patients'...

Portraying one of the 'surgeons' allowed me to create my outfit and persona so I could look the part as I worked on the well-loved toys. I chuckled each time I signed a health certificate or prescription ... Dr. Ima Kwak.

And, as a retired sign language interpreter, it really put a smile on my face when I had the opportunity to check out Beebo the signing bear.

I was happy to give them a clean bill of health.

Me checking Beebo...

In the 'emergency room' and 'operating room', working in shifts, we generally had a team of ten stitchers at any one time.

We reattached limbs and created new horns. We tended to split seams and refilled lost stuffing and at times we did complete reconstructions.

As well, figuring out the best way toward restoration for the old and precious 'real' toys could at times offer me a creative challenge.

Some of the doctors...

New and old, we cared for each plushy, and pillow, and textile friend as if they were our own. We 'surgeons' sat chatting and consulting throughout the day.

We enjoyed the look on each face as the teddies and beanies and critters went through recovery and were reunited with the loving embrace of their owners.

We all smiled when we recognized the expression that showed which friend was 'real'.