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It was a moment of pure bliss when four-year-old Ellie Horschler met her new Build-A-Bear this morning at Windfall School in Medina. Students at the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities school were treated to the stuffed animals courtesy of Medina County Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Kevin Dunn, his staff and teens in the court's community service program.
(Ann Norman, special to cleveland.com )
MEDINA, Ohio - 'Tis the season of giving - and receiving - at the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Clients and staff wrapped up their annual "Giving Tree" collection of new and gently used winter hats, gloves, mittens and scarves this week. The items will be distributed to various agencies in Medina County.
And members of the Tech Connect program recently delivered 100 present-stuffed stockings to the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland.
Back at home, students in the early intervention, preschool and elementary classrooms at Windfall School were the delighted recipients of Build-A-Bear stuffed animals, courtesy of Medina County Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Kevin Dunn and his staff.
Excitement builds for bear deliveries
Fifty of the signature Build-A-Bear boxes lined a hallway in the school office this morning, the stuffed animals inside occasionally poking out a nose or a furry paw in anticipation of finding the arms of their new owners.
Hudson Turner, 4, bonds -- quite seriously -- with his new "Incredible Hulk" Build-A-Bear. Hudson is a student in the Windfall School preschool program.
It was the 10th year for the project, first started by former Judge John Lohn to help local youth fulfill court-ordered community service while at the same time showing them how they can have a positive impact on their community.
This year, three of the teenagers joined in the fun of handing out the bears to the little ones.
"It makes me happy to see the kids smile," one boy said.
One of the girls said she was "excited" when she found out her community service would involve dressing the Build-A-Bear animals in a variety of outfits, from sports jerseys to flouncy dresses to superhero costumes.
"I had a whole collection of them growing up - every one that you could imagine," she said.
She said her favorite part of the bear deliveries was "the big reveal" -- taking the stuffed animals out of their boxes and presenting them in their drawstring bags to the preschoolers.
"When the bag comes off and they see how the bear is dressed, they just smile so big, and it's exciting," she said.
"It's so fantastic to see our students' faces light up, and we thank Judge Dunn and the court staff and volunteers for making this generous event possible each year," said Dr. Kaye Stanley-Bryson, director of children's services for the MCBDD.
Alina Kolar, left, and Jamie French, members of the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities Tech Connect program, stuff presents into a stocking for a veteran at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland.
"When you can see the smiles on the kids' faces, you can see how important it is to them, as well as the social interaction," said MCBDD Superintendent Annette Davis-Kramp.
The kids weren't the only ones grinning from ear to ear. Tony Miller, programming and grants coordinator for the Medina County Common Pleas Court's Probate and Juvenile Division, couldn't stop smiling.
"It's my favorite time of the year," he said.
And the judge himself was having fun, bending down to get to eye level with the little ones - quite a feat for such a tall man.
Court Administrator Sharon Danko said the group made a total of 70 bears this year. Some will be given to children in the Medina County foster care system.
She said each bear - including the outfit - runs about $100. All the money comes from community donations.
Stuffing stockings for veterans
Members of the MCBDD's Tech Connect program reached out to a different group of gift recipients - veterans.
The Tech Connect program helps people who have disabilities find greater opportunities for connecting with others in the community through the use of assistive technology, such as iPads.
Tech Connect members Jeremy Jackson, left, and Steve Dickson, right, present a Christmas stocking stuffed with presents to veteran Douglas Dickson.
Group members also volunteer and do charity work as a way to enhance the skills they need to help them achieve greater independence in their daily lives.
Throughout October, they collected personal care items, snacks, magazines and small gifts to donate to the veterans.
When an anonymous donor made and donated 100 red, white and blue holiday stockings, Assistive Technology Specialist Connie Hartman asked the Tech Connect members to stuff them with the collected items.
"Community outreach and volunteer opportunities are so important for people with developmental disabilities. To have our community support these efforts through such generous donations is truly heart-warming and appreciated so much," Hartman said.
Once the stockings were stuffed, Hartman, MCBDD staff and Tech Connect members traveled to the VA Medical Center to pass out the gifts.
"Being able to touch the lives of those who have served our country and let them know how much we appreciate them made this a great day," one of the Tech Connect members said.