News Taffy

Last Friday, tragedy struck the town of Newtown, Conn. when 20-year-old gunman shot and killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School before turning the gun on himself. As the entire country mourns the victims’ deaths, many in the Jonesboro community are rallying around a project called “Teddy Bear Love.” The project, which was founded by Meagan Cremeens, was inspired the Westside Middle School shooting in 1998.

“Teddy Bears might not mean something to other people, but it means something here,” said Cremeens. “We received teddy bears after the Westside shooting, and it was a symbol of love, safety, security and something tangible to hold on to when nothing else in the world made sense.

“I credit God for this project as He simply planted the vision in my head. He has placed every single person in this project for a specific reason and is using everyone to their specific talents. Elea Pulliam told me last night that ‘When God has a vision, and He makes it ours, there's no stopping His glory and plan.’  I am merely a vessel of the plan, as are many others in this project. It certainly would not have happened without Pam Herring, Garrett Barnes, Jimmy Adcox, Southwest Church of Christ and the entire community of Jonesboro and the many places we have reached past the borders of our own community. The project was started to bring the same comfort and healing to Connecticut that we received here after the ‘98 Westside shooting. Little did we know that we would continue to be healed, as well.”

Donation locations include Southwest Church of Christ, City Church, Westside Middle School, Valley View Junior High, The Refinery, KEG Towing, The Forum Theater, Weiner Public Library, Nettleton Junior and Senior High, J. Christopher Toys, Visionary Eye Clinic, Glitz Salon, Bono Church of Christ, Brookland School, Ritter Communications, First Presbyterian Preschool, Herman Baptist and Big Kreek Outdoors.

Cremeens would like to remind everyone that teddy bears collected by churches and schools are due Tuesday at Southwest Church of Christ. Local Businesses have a contact person who has a designated time to come pick their bears up and bring to the church throughout the day and evening Tuesday. For everyone else, the bears must be donated by 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening at Kohl's or the Refinery or they can be donated before 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning at Southwest Church of Christ.

Chuck Mitchell, the owner of MC Express, has offered to ship the bears free of charge.

A candlelight vigil will take place tonight, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. in front of the Craighead County Courthouse, on the Main Street side. Several  local religious leaders will speak at the vigil. The community is encouraged to bring candles for the vigil and teddy bears to donate.

For more information about donations or the vigil, contact Meagan Cremeens at 870.273.4730 or Pam Herring at 870.926.3835. For more information about volunteering, contact Garrett Barnes at 870.897.0680. For more information about monetary donations, contact Tracey Snell at 870.930.7742.