News Photo by Darby Hinkley Title I students at All Saints Catholic School pose with the handmade Reading Bears made with care by volunteer Margaret Henschel, pictured to the left of students. Henschel made 26 teddy bears, each fashioned after a picture colored by each student. Every bear is unique. Teacher Melodee Marceau, pictured in center back, coordinated the effort and presented Henschel with a “Reading Buddies” book with the jacket signed by all the students who received the Reading Bears.

ALPENA — Twenty-six Title I students at All Saints Catholic School now have unique handmade Reading Bears, thanks to the sewing skills and effort of volunteer Margaret Henschel.

Each student in Melodee Marceau’s Title I classroom first colored a picture of a teddy bear, then Marceau provided Henschel with the pictures and she created each special bear to match the child’s picture. Each bear even has a heart sewn inside of it.

The bears were presented on Wednesday morning right after a mass that talked about using your God-given talents to serve others and please God.

Marceau presented Henschel with a “Reading Buddies” book with the jacket signed by all the students who received the Reading Bears.

“This will be one of my favorite books in the whole world, next to ‘The Velveteen Rabbit,'” Henschel said.

Henschel started working on the Reading Bears in mid-September.

The students were overjoyed when they received their bears, each looking just like the picture they had colored.

“I’m going to keep my teddy forever,” said Addison Markowski, 5. “I love my teddy.”

The children thanked Henschel for making the bears.

“I love him!” 7-year-old Freya Connolly said of her bear.

Henschel was excited to be involved in something meant to help children learn to read.

“I love to read, and anything that would get children to read, I’m there,” Henschel said.

Marceau said the children will read to their bears, which helps them learn.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” Marceau said. “It’s heaven sent. They’ve been so excited about this.”

Henschel has been making bears for Hospice of Michigan patients for the past 10 years, at no charge to the families. She makes the Hospice bears from articles of clothing from the person in Hospice care.

“I hope it brings some peace to people,” Henschel said.

She makes nearly 200 bears per year.

“I really love doing them,” Henschel said.

Her next project is making bears for a prayer group at Trinity Episcopal Church. They will be called Prayer Buddies.