Gifts of bears help children in Scotland

The postmark on the envelope said Dunblane, Scotland, site of one of the year's most horrible tragedies. Sixteen kindergartners were shot to death and another 12 injured there in April, when a gunman opened fire on a gym class.

But what Maggie Moschell found in her mailbox two weeks ago was a letter of hope.

Dear Maggie Moschell,

A few days ago, my son Andrew received his Spinoza bear and I wanted to thank you so much. Andrew has taken him to bed every night since he arrived and goes around singing some of the songs already. I'm sure it will help him settle down on the nights when he is afraid to be alone. We have listened to the tapes in which Spinoza's other friends were feeling the things that Andrew feels - anger, fear and so on. Later on, Andrew talked about his own friends who died.

Andrew was injured in the leg and foot, but is now recovered physically and enjoying the summer break from school. On the surface, he seems much like any noisy, lively six year old, but we notice that he's a lot less secure and cries much more now. We hope that with love and care from us and many others, Andrew will recover.

For us, as parents, this is still a very difficult time, but kindness such as yours gives us a little more strength.

Yours sincerely,

Sheila O'Darnell

Maggie Moschell read the letter and wept. Andrew's bear and 30 more like it had come from Cincinnati, from the generosity of Enquirer readers responding to a column on Mrs. Moschell's efforts.

Cincinnati reacts

Her method was to send off a small army of pot-bellied bears named Spinoza. They hold a tape recorder and come with tapes that help children deal with anger, fear and loneliness - emotions all too familiar to the children of Dunblane.

But to do it, Mrs. Moschell needed money. Each Spinoza cost $131.50. The Dunblane School, realizing Spinoza could help its students through lonely nights and scary days, requested one for each of the 12 wounded students and for each of 19 classrooms.

The Spinozas, plus bearfare to Scotland, came to more than $4,000.

Maggie Moschell had solicited small donations before, to put the bears in the hands of children who were ill, abused, traumatized. But she had never asked anyone for 31 bears.

So she asked. Checks came rolling in, in amounts ranging from $5 to the full price of a bear. Spinozas went rolling out.

Grateful families

''Robert is going back into hospital for another operation on his arm,'' one mother writes. ''Matthew misses his friends, still lacks confidence and has a fear of balloons,'' which sound like gunfire, another confides.

And Maggie Moschell sends back notes of encouragement and empathy. ''This is from the people of Cincinnati,'' she tells them, ''who in giving you the bears, sometimes gave more than they could afford.''

In the late afternoon, she says a prayer for each of those children, when it is evening in Scotland and they are getting ready for bed. Then she scans the newspaper, looking for other hurting children who need a Spinoza.

Last week, Maggie Moschell dropped a bear off to Ryan Gartrell of Bond Hill. Two days earlier, police say, the 5-year-old saw her father murder her mother.

As long as there are children in pain, Mrs. Moschell's efforts will continue. If you would like to donate money for buying Spinozas for hurting children, or if you would like to suggest the names of children who need a Spinoza, write Spinoza's Buddy Bear, 245 E. 6th St., St. Paul, Minn. 55101.

Designate your donation or request for a fund called ''Maggie's Bears,'' a fitting tribute to a woman who cares about the world's children.

Krista Ramsey's column appears in The Enquirer on Saturdays. Write her at 312 Elm Street, Cincinnati 45202 or fax at 768-8340.

Published Aug. 31, 1996.