Nursing home holiday organizer overcomes obstacles

Instead of buying gifts for each other this year, Southside teachers elected to donate bears to Christy's Cuddlies For Clera. Teachers Vicky Ransom and Sue Smith had fun with the project as they box up the bears for Christy Warren, who delivered them to local nursing homes last week.
(Submitted photo)

Her mother-in-law, to whom she was extremely close, passed away just before she was about to start the effort, which entails giving hundreds of gifts to local nursing home residents.

"She had a massive stroke," Warren said. "My husband was her only child and she treated me like her daughter. I just didn't think I was going to be able to do Christy's Cuddlies for Clera this year."

The responsibility of planning a funeral and also grieving their loss would zap Warren of all her energy, she thought.

But this year was no ordinary year and a few extra helping hands ensured Warren could carry out her mission of delivering Christmas cheer to residents at the two local nursing homes.

"This is the fourth year and it gets bigger and bigger each year," Warren said. "It makes for a good Christmas story about giving." The project is named after Warren's late grandmother.

Traditionally, Warren and her grandson Caine visit the nursing homes about a week before Christmas and pass out teddy bears (Christy's Cuddlies) and other small gifts to residents, such as hand lotion and other toiletries. About a year after the project began, the Nazarene women's ministry jumped on board by donating purses filled with toiletries (this year they filled Santa Claus hats up with toiletries) to be given out. Other local individuals, including large donations from the Shelbyville Moose Lodge and Economy Pencil, donated teddy bears.

"This year, teachers at Southside, where Caine goes to school, helped out, too," Warren said. "Instead of buying for each other they bought bears for me to give out."

After so many folks had put forth effort to ensure Warren had more gifts than ever to pass out, how could she not make her rounds this year? She had to find a way to push through her time of grief and make time for this special project.

That's when her son and her other grandchildren decided they would help with the project. Instead of one carload of gifts, Warren and Caine had two carloads -- along with several extra sets of loving hands to pass out the bears and gifts.

"It became a family thing this year," smiled Warren. "And once we got started I forgot about all the other stuff that was going on."

In addition to passing out the gifts, Warren says sharing a hug and just spending a little time with the residents is all they seem to need or want. In her mission to bless others, this year, Warren says, it was she who received the blessing.

Next year Warren would like to pass out hand knitted scarves or perhaps lap blankets to the residents, in addition to the traditional cuddlies and gifts.