Project provides toy bunnies, chicks to area hospitals

Sewing is good therapy for residents of Heartland Care and Rehab Center, 2525 Boutin Drive.

Residents at the skilled nursing home have been making bunny rabbits and baby chicks toys to give to patients at Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center.

The animals will be presented to the hospitals today.

The residents worked as teams, with some cutting material, some stuffing and others stitching.

Genny Ferguson, activities director at the center, said the project gets the residents out of their rooms but also has another effect. "This makes them feel they are still part of society," she said.

The small chickens are fluffy, made from wool. The rabbits are made from styrofoam.

"We have a different project each year," said Ferguson. "Last year, we made stuffed rabbits to give out during the Easter season."

A half-dozen of the facility's residents worked with volunteers Linda Pikey and Earleen Urhahn to complete the rabbit part of the project last week.

"The project provides a great pastime for our residents," said Ferguson.