Millis Seniors Sew 1,000+ Teddy Bears for Kids in Need

Joyce Boiardi retired two years ago and immediately felt restless. So she brought an idea to the Millis Senior Center that would change everything: a teddy bear sewing circle inspired by her mother's 40-year tradition in nearby Wellesley.

Today, dozens of women gather twice weekly in the lower level of Town Hall, their sewing machines humming as laughter fills the room. They call themselves "Sew and Stitch" or "Stitch and Sew," depending on who you ask, and they answer to both.

Each bear starts with a pattern that gets cut, sewn, stuffed, and hand-stitched. No two bears look alike, and that's exactly the point.

"They all have their own personality, so we love them all," one volunteer explained. Every bear gets its own hand-knit sweater before finding a child who needs comfort.

The bears go to hospitals, shelters, foster families, and first responders who work with kids in crisis. The group doesn't keep count, but estimates suggest they've made over a thousand bears since starting.

Helen Humphrey, who cuts the patterns, found unexpected joy in the work. "At my age, I don't need anything because I'm trying to get rid of stuff," she said. "This way you get to do crafty stuff, and then you have something that you give to charity, and it just makes us all feel so good."

Sunny's Take

The magic isn't just in the bears. It's in what happens when these women gather.

Assistant Town Administrator Karen Bouret DeMarzo has watched the program transform the senior center. With Millis's senior population growing, she sees how much these connections matter. "It's a community-building activity; it gives back," she said. "I had no idea it was going to turn into the size that it has."

The impact runs deep. When one member recently passed away, her daughter asked mourners to donate to the bear program instead of sending flowers.

The group recently learned to set up a GoFundMe and create QR codes to fund their work. They need high-quality fleece now that their affordable supplier, Joann Fabrics, closed. They also welcome requests from organizations that could use bears for the children they serve.

These women have found the perfect recipe: friendship, purpose, and the simple joy of knowing a child somewhere is hugging a bear made just for them.

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