Independent Living and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) sponsor Raena Weimer put her students’ sewing skills to good use by making stuffed bears for some of the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) patients.

In an effort to “give back” during the holiday season, Weimer searched for volunteer opportunities for FCCLA students. She learned that CHKD was in dire need of more stuffed bears for young patients.

Weimer’s students had recently completed a sewing unit: how to sew a basting stitch, permanent back-stitch, repair buttons, and create a ladder stitch for closing up a hem or a hole. Students used these skills to embroider the eyes, nose, and mouths onto each bear, as well as hand sew the bears using a permanent back-stitch.

Furthermore, all fabric and embroidery thread used by the FCCLA students was donated by the community.

FCCLA sophomore Evelyn Philbrick  made one of the bears to give to CHKD patients.

 “It was kinda cool to know that your making a bear that a kid will have for pretty much the rest of their life and you’re making a lasting impression on them,”  Philbrick said.