AMAZING DOG! photos by Richard Mandel
STACEY MAE MOUNTAIN— Dedicating Her Life to Helping Others via Her Teddy Bear Project! Reported by Tamra Monahan
Stacey Mae Mountain has a talent for making people smile. Using a combination of teddy bears and TLC, this lovable Greater Swiss Mountain Dog delivers joy to patients in nursing homes and hospitals in Canon City, Colorado. When she was two years old, Stacey Mae’s owner Richard Mandel began taking her to a nursing home, and she became an instant hit with the nurses and patients. This caring canine, who now visits there twice a week, has become an integral part of the nursing home, and she loves the attention and affection she receives from everyone. “It was great to see people’s faces light up as they got a visit from Stacey,” Richard says. “Some people like holding her leash in their hands and keeping her close to them.” Stacey Mae’s visits are wonderful, but her owner thought it would be a great idea
to give the nursing home patients something to hug when the cuddly canine was not around. If you can’t hug a dog, the second best thing is a soft teddy bear. So, Richard and his daughter Maria began the Teddy Bear Project. During the 2010 Christmas season, Stacey Mae delivered teddy bears to nursing home patients and to the St. Thomas Moore Hospital where Paula Sheagley passed them out to children. Stacey Mae and her teddies brightened the holidays for young and old patients who needed a dose of love. “When we went to the nursing homes, we would rub the teddy bears against some of their faces so they could feel the softness, and they loved it,” Richard says. “When we handed one guy a teddy bear and a little blanket, he looked at us and said ‘I am going to cry, this is very nice. Merry Christmas.’ It is amazing how one little teddy bear could have such an impact on someone’s life.”
The huge success of this project has inspired the Mandels to collect and distribute even more teddy bears, and they’ve discovered people all over the world who want to help. This year, they hope to collect and deliver 100 stuffed bears, and their goal is to have the Teddy Bear Project become a yearly event, changing the lives of people by way of a remarkable dog and a bunch of bears. “It really has been amazing working on the Teddy Bear Project,” Maria says. “Watching people from all around the world coming together to help Stacey Mae deliver joy is great.” An amazing dog, a soft bear, and lots of love are making the world a better place one teddy bear at a time.
For more information:
Become a fan on Facebook at: “Stacey Mae” or email: StaceyGSMD@gmail.com
The American Dog Magazine | Summer 2011 83