Teddy Bear Tree: an Act of Giving

The message of Christmas is to give. During this holiday season, heart-warming stories appear on our local evening news. They all have the central theme of selfless actions by individuals, and as someone in such a story pointed out it is done by those who have the means to do for others. These actions come in all degrees from an anonymous individual paying off store layaways to neighbors helping one another. These deeds of kindness continue throughout the year, but at Christmas there seems to be more emphasis. At this particular time of the year it is the children who pull the most at our heart-strings.

This year, as in the previous one, the Osage Nation and its employees took part in an annual Christmas tradition called The Teddy Bear Tree. Families of TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) make a Christmas list for the children with their needs, wants, and wishes. Each child’s list appears on a teddy bear which hangs from a tree for someone to pick.

This special occasion, The Teddy Bear Tree, was first displayed in the Osage Casinos. Last year the Osage Nation and its employees began filling the wishes of the Teddy Bears. And this year, like before, it was a success.

The definition of giving is “to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation.” And that is true in this instance with The Teddy Bear Tree. Through a collaborative effort among the Nation’s employees and various departments such as Constituent Services, Food Distribution, Human Resources, TANF, Title VI, WIC and volunteers, this Christmas tradition would not have been possible. The Penta Building Group hosted a food drive and those donations were made to the families.

The Christmas tree which was placed on the staircase in Human Resources and decorated with the pink and blue teddy bears for individuals to choose from is only a few feet tall. But its purpose may be monumental to the lives of the children who will receive the gifts.

There are too many people to thank who worked to make The Teddy Bear Tree a success. Each act of giving adds up from a package of bows to buying for one or more teddy bears or donating hours of service in other ways such as planning, organizing, wrapping and delivering the gifts. For all of those who made this possible Tha-Le-Wah-Zho-Ah (good job). Each and every one of you helped to give forty-seven children from 23 families throughout the Osage Nation service area a Merry Christmas.