Annual drive to collect plush animals for children continues
These monkeys were spied at Barb's Corner Consignment, 25 W. Main St., Ansonia, one of the drop-off locations for stuffed monkey donations.
It's time to quit monkeying around and support a good cause.
The 10th annual "Monkey Love Drive" is here. The goal is to put smiles on the faces of needy children on Valentine's Day.
I'm re-posting details here:
Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts at 505 Howe Ave., Shelton, is once again collecting new stuffed monkeys for children.
Donations may be dropped off or mailed to J-Cuts through Feb. 8.
Additional drop-off locations include Minuteman Press, 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2, and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, 10 Progress Drive, second floor, both of Shelton, and Barb's Corner Consignment, 25 West Main St., Ansonia.
Each year, Minuteman Press donates posters to advertise the drive.
This event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, frightened children involved in police calls, as well as those treated for emergencies, cancer, or other illnesses at local hospitals.
This year, Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi will hold their sixth annual Monkey Love Sunday from noon-3 p.m. Jan. 31.
They have moved the event to Off the Hook Bar & Grill, 170 Ferry Blvd., Stratford.
Last year, they collected more than 180 stuffed monkeys. They reserve the Sunday before Superbowl each year for this celebration. Stuffed monkey donations may be dropped off this day or any other day through Feb. 6. The public is free to stop by for food and fun.
They hope to have other pubs in the area join in this event by promoting a Monkey Love Sunday of their own to benefit children in need.
Finnegan said, “Any extra monkey we can collect is an extra smile and one more warm heart within a child who needs it the most.”
More than 1,800 distributed
The ninth annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive collected and distributed more than 1,800 stuffed monkeys to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Ansonia and Milford, along with the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club in Shelton; Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven; TEAM Inc. in Derby and Ansonia; BHcare Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia; Griffin Hospital of Derby; the Department of Children and Families in Milford; International Institute of Connecticut, Refugee Services division of Bridgeport.
Coordinators also shared 26 of the stuffed monkeys as “26 Random Acts of Kindness.”
Sneider uses her business as the main collection and drop off location.
“This is my sixth year being involved,” Sneider said. "It is an
amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and the children will find comfort in these monkeys. Each year, we hope to have an even more successful drive to create miles of smiles on the faces of children to show them they are loved.”
Stuffed monkeys have already been dropped off by members of the Milford Fire Department. This is their fourth year participating.
Once again last year, Bright Horizons child care center at 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton, and United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St., Ansonia, held their own collections.
In addition the United Methodist Women led by Barbara Tchakirides crocheted 25 adorable stuffed monkeys last year.
“We enjoyed crocheting these monkeys for a good cause – children,” Tchakirides said. “I asked coordinators if they’ll be collecting again next year [2016.] When I learned the drive will continue, I became very excited because we can get a head start on crocheting!”
Area individuals, corporations and groups are also encouraged to become involved by holding collections of their own.
In celebration of the 10th year, coordinators are hoping to mark this milestone by launching a “monkey love challenge” and have it go viral. They would like to have people participate by buying some monkeys, making a cute video, posting it on social media, and calling out others to do the same, then mailing or bringing their donations to J-Cuts.
Last year, members of country singer Keith Urban's Ville and Facebook fans from all over the world mailed stuffed monkeys to Connecticut. They collected a total of 1,356 stuffed monkeys, 300 of which were donated directly to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
In the past decade 10,327 stuffed monkeys have been donated from all over the world, organizers say.
Ansonia resident Phyllis Hyde, an owner of Barb's Corner Consignment in Ansonia, holds a plush monkey that will soon warm the heart of a child in need.
So quit monkeying around and donate!
For more information about the drive, call J-Cuts, 203-924-4107.
