25th Anniversary
NEIGHBORS
ANN ERS IV
A
RY
Memory bears are 86 year old’s passion for those who grieve BY LINDA JUMP Every time Pat Miner, 86, hugs her Little Willy teddy bear, she remembers her late husband Will. The comfort it brings is what led her to volunteer with VITAS Healthcare Brevard County and, so far, she has sewn more than 600 memory bears from the clothing of deceased loved ones. “The bears are part of the bereavement process. You want to hold onto your loved ones, and to remember their smell,” said Jennifer Cooke, the VITAS volunteer services manager. “The bear is something they can hug anytime to remember that they were loved.” Cooke isn’t sure who started the memory bear program at VITAS or when it began, but last year more than 600 bears were sewn by 55 unpaid volunteers of all ages. “Pat might be our oldest.” After Miner’s husband died in 2007, a VITAS chaplain mentioned the bear project. “They gave me a bear with one of Will’s T-shirts and I later made Little Willy from Will’s bathrobe.” She decided to share her talent.
“I’d been sewing since I was 10 and didn’t know what to do with myself after Will passed, so I volunteered.” When she began, she cranked out six a week “when I didn’t have anything else to do, but now I’m busier” with a Bible study, knitting group, helping an elderly friend and keeping track of her five children, nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Miner sews six a month. Each bear takes about four hours to complete. She places a pattern on the interfacing and cuts that out, then carefully takes apart the clothing provided and puts the 11 pattern pieces on it. It takes her an hour to sew those pieces together. “After I’ve stuffed it, I do the hand stitching while I’m watching TV,” she said. The Rome, New York transplant also has made memory bears for family and friends through the years. “I’ve never charged anyone a cent. That’s not the purpose.” Cooke said the VITAS volunteer sewers also will make community bears for anyone who has lost a loved one but are not VITAS clients. For information, call 321-752-2553. SL
SENIOR LIFE Linda Jump
Little Willy is a teddy bear that Pat Miner made from her late husband’s bathrobe. He died in 2007 and the 86-year-old Melbourne resident has made more than 600 memory bears from the clothing of loved ones who have passed for VITAS Healthcare Brevard County clients.
It’s time to begin preparing for hurricane season SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE If you are new to the area, you should learn what you need to do for hurricane preparedness. If you are a longtime resident, then you know that we cannot be complacent about being ready in case a hurricane hits the Space Coast. Hurricane preparedness means doing a series of things to make sure you are ready to protect your family and property. A disaster preparedness kit or hurricane kit is integral to that preparation.
• • • • • • • •
Disaster preparedness checklist: Important medical, family contact and insurance information Food and water, one gallon per person per day, two-week supply at home, three-day supply if evacuating Non-electric can opener Battery-powered radio Flashlights, extra batteries Two-week supply of prescription medications, including dosages and allergies Mosquito repellant First aid kit
• Water purification kit — (tablets, plain chlorine and iodine) • Pre-moistened towelettes • Hand sanitizer • Wheelchair, walker and other medical equipment (determine what is needed for batteries for powered wheelchairs; check to see if power is needed for oxygen for special needs). SL
Why serve ordinary when you can serve extraordinary! Give the gift of custom-made cookies, cakes, cupcakes, drop cookies and more! Custom Floral cookie Adding logos and pictures on cookies is our specialty.
• • • •
Holidays Birthdays Special occasions Thank you gifts
Custom Anniversary cookies
ChipsGaloreCookies.com • Email: ChipsGalore.cookiesandmore@gmail.com
Place an order today, call 321-259-2897 321-242-1235
25th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
Follow us on:
SENIOR LIFE • JUNE 2022
7
