Stuffed creatures of all sizes, colors and species invaded the Endicott Estate last week with their pint-sized owners for the library’s annual Teddy Bear Picnic.
“I have a lot of teddy bears,” 7-year-old John Techiera, admitted last Thursday. He decided to bring two friends to the event, Monks, a stuffed monkey and Ricky, a small raccoon. The teddy bears, however, stayed at home, he said. “I like to keep them in my room. If I don’t I could lose them and they are kinda special to me.”
At one picnic table, children’s librarian Patricia Reilly greeted all the animals and children to the Teddy Bear Picnic and was quick to notice if something was out of place.
“This isn’t a teddy bear, it’s a lion,” Reilly said as she carefully tied a red ribbon to the stuffed animal’s paw. All the animals, no matter the species, received a ribbon.
By 10:40 a.m. the East Street estate became a sea of blankets and smiling children happily munching away on teddy bear shaped cookies and sipping apple juice.
On one blanket a blond girl with red sugar sprinkles outlining her mouth, proudly held up her stuffed golden retriever.
“This is Fluffy,” 3-year-old Meryl McCormick said, with the half-eaten, bear-shaped sugar cookie in one hand. Her sister Mable, 6, brought two animals – a Christmas-themed Beanie Baby bear named Gingersnap and a Hello Kitty doll.
“I have a lot of stuffed animals,” she thought for a moment, “like 15 stuffed animals.”
Just before 11, Debbie and Friends got the kids dancing and clapping – but only if they were happy and they know it. Yet, in between the dancing and snacks, decisions were being made.
Six-year-old Siena Oliveri-Kunnle brought a stuffed Webkinz dog to the picnic. But, Siena said the animal didn’t have a name. Her twin sister, Sarina, looked at the tiny pup that was dressed in an oversized wedding dress and veil and decided her name should be Peace, because of the colorful peace signs on the dog’s fur. Siena wasn’t so sure.
“I was thinking Rainbow,” she said, “but that is too long.”
The girls admitted that naming an animal was the hardest part of owning one. Sarina said she just usually uses her own name for all of her stuffed friends. How many does she have? Well Sarina estimates about 100 or 35.
Their cousin Isabella Antonitis, 10, said she just names her animals based on their color. Her companion at the picnic was Marshmallow, a white Build-A-Bear that was wearing the wrong pants.
“I think they were made for a bunny,” she said, tugging the jeans up.
Dedham Transcript editor Andrea Salisbury can be reached at 781-433-8322 or by e-mail at asalisbu@cnc.com.
