Eleanor Herrick, President of Swingin’ Bears Square Dance Club, and Karen Ellis of Community Concepts of Oxford, pose with the 418 stuffed toys club members collected for “Right Start for Kids.”

When the Swingin’ Bears Square Dance Club had to cancel its annual Teddy Bear Dance on December 9 due to poor weather conditions, prospects for its annual Teddy Bear Collection Drive were not looking merry and bright. The project counts on the contributions of other area square dance clubs, whose members bring their donated bears to the dance.

However, club members rallied by bringing the teddy bears they had collected to an impromptu Christmas party the following Wednesday, when club caller Ray Hilton called for an evening of square dancing instead of the usual class and workshop. Club and class members enjoyed an evening of holiday revelry and took heart at the impressive 418 stuffed toys that were collected for “Right Start for Kids,” a program administered by Community Concepts of Oxford County.