Home creates festive cheer with teddy bears
Friday, November 26, 2004 - Natalie Miller
All year long, Laurie Edwards collected oodles of teddy bears in preparation for Christmas.

She scooped up the promotional Beanie baby bears from McDonald’s, purchased a few Gund bears and gladly took some teddies off her friends’ hands.

Early in December, Laurie, along with a few colleagues and residents of the long-term care home where she works, will add character to a Christmas tree, tucking the bears between the branches.

For the fourth year in a row, Laurie, a housekeeper at Rosebridge Manor in Jasper, has taken part in the Smiths Falls Festival of Trees. This year, four of her colleagues have gotten involved and she’s hopeful residents will be part of the community event for the first time.

Laurie is making arrangements to have a few residents help her decorate the tree at the Civitan Hall in Smiths Falls. The Civitan event raises money for health care, the local food bank and other community needs. The decorated trees are on display Dec. 8, 9 and 10.

“It’s good for Rosebridge to get our name in the community,” says Laurie about one of her motivations to get involved.

“It’s fun. The money always goes to a really good cause. The turnout at these events is just amazing.”