Before Taylor Crabtree sends out a teddy bear to a sick child, the stuffed animal gets hugged.
” To make sure that it has lots of love to give,” 10-year-old Taylor explained recently.
The work of Crabtree, a fifth-grader from Vista who started a nonprofit group to distribute the bears, was embraced this summer.
Crabtree was selected as one of three “Born Heroes” by Lands’ End Direct Merchants.
The Wisconsin company put Crabtree on the cover of their fall catalog and donated $5,000 to her organization, Taybear Co.
Crabtree’s efforts began when her grandmother died from cancer, and she realized the impact the disease could have on younger children who suffered from it.
“It’s a hard disease for anyone, especially kids,” Crabtree told Lands’ End. “Bears help them feel better when they’re scared or lonely.”
She and a group of volunteers raise funds in different ways, including painting and selling hair clips.
In the past three years, Taybear has given away 7,000 of the stuffed toys.
According to Lands’ End, Crabtree’s venture is the start of some serious business skills. Crabtree keeps computer records, makes deposits, writes checks and balances her bank statements.
