NORWICH – At Bassett Healthcare-Norwich, when they’re not fixing up patients, the staff may be stitching up plush animals to give to a patient in need. 
In early 2007, the health center staff began creating plush critters in their down time and at home in their free time. The handcrafted teddy bears, dogs and other animals are offered to comfort kids in the emergency room, victims of abuse, families who’ve lost their home due to fire or a patient who may have experienced trauma. The team to date has given away 30 plush animals at Bassett Healthcare facilities, from Cooperstown to Sidney to Edmeston.
“I guess you could say it’s a labor of love,” said Karen Locke, manager of Bassett Healthcare-Norwich and several other Bassett centers.  Locke brought the idea to her team a few months ago and they enthusiastically took up the cause, which has now taken on a life of its own.
The “stitching” effort was recently awarded a $500 grant from Wal-Mart to cover fabric and supplies, and now other organizations, including the Girl Scouts and 4-H, have pledged to get involved. 
Locke continues to receive requests for the animals from other Bassett facilities, and more and more people are donating their sewing skills. “It’s worth every stitch just to see the look on their face when they receive one of the plush animals,” said stitcher, and health center coder analyst, Jessica Thompson.
“The project brings us all together and we have fun doing it,” explained Locke. “You just look at these animals, and they make you smile.”