COMMUNITY ANGEL RECOGNIZED 600 TEDDY BEARS WERE SENT TO YOUNG 9-11 VICTIMS IN NEW YORK.Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - A year ago, Meganne Damon's living room in Canyon Country was filled with stuffed toy stuffed toy stuff n → Stofftier nt bears, donations the teen collected as special gifts for children who'd lost parents in the attacks on New York's Twin Towers. Damon, now 17, used her baby-sitting money to buy red, white and blue ribbons blue ribbon denotes highest honor. [Western Folklore: Brewer Dictionary, 127] See : Prize to tie around the necks of the 600 bears. And she added little notes of comfort to each grieving grieving Mourning, see there child facing the first holiday season in a shattered shat·ter v. shat·tered, shat·ter·ing, shat·ters v.tr. 1. To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow. 2. a. family. On Wednesday, she was honored as a hero. ``I've watched Meganne over the years, and I'm just amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. . She's a phenomenal human being,'' said Laura Morrow mor·row n. 1. The following day: resolved to set out on the morrow. 2. The time immediately subsequent to a particular event. 3. Archaic The morning. , who had nominated Damon for the the Life Saver Award sponsored by the Northridge/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce. Touched by the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, Damon set off to make the holidays a bit brighter for children in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . With help from fellow Girl Scouts Girl Scouts, recreational and service organization founded (1912) in Savannah, Ga., by Mrs. Juliette Gordon Low (1860–1927). It was originally modeled after the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, organizations created in Great Britain by Sir Robert Baden-Powell during and other community groups she collected teddy bears in all shapes and sizes. ``People all over were collecting blood and other donations for the adults,'' Damon said. ``I wanted to do something for the children.'' So she put out the word, and the donations rolled in. The 20 girls in Morrow's Scout troop lined up and handed over their bears to her, one at a time, each Scout giving Damon a hug, Morrow said. ``Pretty soon, the whole living room was covered with bears,'' said Damon, who graduated from Canyon High in June at age 16. ``My mom helped me get them ready, and we sent them in early December so they were there for Christmas.'' Damon contacted the New York Fire Department's Rescue 5 station in Staton Island and coordinated the delivery. She called her project Comfort Bears, fitting each toy with a note that read: ``I hope this stuffed critter helps you through the holidays. This is to let you know how much we care about you and hope you moved on from this tragic incident with a twinkle in your eye and smile in your heart.'' Once ready to start shipping, she collected donations from local companies to cover that cost, Morrow said. ``When she told me what she was doing, with the ribbons and all, I said, Meganne, that's an awful lot of work,'' Morrow said. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Meganne Damon, 17, of Canyon Country received a Life Saver Award for collecting and sending 600 teddy bears to young Sept. 11 victims in New York. Terri Thuente/Special to the Daily News |
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