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Sisters couple continues toy drive
By Shawn Strannigan

Volunteers show off their nattily dressed dolls.

Each Christmas for the past eight years, Bob and Lorena Bliven turn their modest home into Bob and Lorena's Toyshop.

Their efforts have brightened the holidays for needy children all over Central Oregon. From Teddy Bears to handmade doll quilts, the couple gathers -- or makes -- toys to be distributed to children in our area.

From the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to Christmas Valley, the toys are distributed by Fire Departments, Kiwanis Clubs, and other organizations.

"Since I am a retired welfare caseworker for the State of Oregon," said Lorena, "I know how many little kids go without presents each Christmas."

For their first project, Bob and Lorena collected and gave 200 teddy bears to needy children. This year, they will give away 2,000 stuffed animals and 200 dolls. Each doll comes with a handmade doll quilt, a set of clothes, and a doll bed designed and crafted by Bob, a retired steel fabricator.

This year Lorena needed help. So she asked her friends with the Sisters Mountain Stitchers to come and play with dolls for a day.

"I needed 100 dolls to be dressed," said Bliven. "Eleven ladies showed up -- you should have seen how possessive they got about their dolls, fighting over the outfits!"

While the women dressed their dolls, Bob labored in the workshop, putting his finishing touches on the miniature beds.

"Last year was the first time we gave away dolls," he said. "Two little girls in Tollgate decided they wanted to donate their dollies to us and that's how it got started. So Lorena collects the dolls now and I make the beds.

"It feels good to be helping people, giving the kids something to open Christmas morning."

Helper Jayne Simmons has been a part of the project for several years.

"One time I came over and Lorena had just washed a load of stuffed animals," she said. "And she had them clothes-pinned all over the yard so they would dry. She gets a lot of her donations from yard sales and washes them all."

Quilter Judy Johnson says she donates her time and quilts because she enjoys being part of a worthy cause.

"It's fun to get together," Johnson said. "I love that we are able to make something pretty out of someone else's cast-offs."

The Blivens' doll dressers this year were: Sandy Koch, Susan Free, Alice McHugh, Cathy Ehler, Gail Larsen, Judy Johnson, Dorris Stockbridge, Julie Weber, Margaret Richen, Jayne Simmons, and Vivian Lewis. Many of these women also made and donated quilts and mended clothes.

Most of the doll clothes were handmade and donated by Shirley Dexter from Terrebonne. Many others in the community have donated lumber, ribbons, yarn, quilts, stuffed animals, dolls, and their time to the project. To donate, call Lorena at 389-9554 or e-mail her at: lrenaraeb@aol.com.

"It's never too late," she said. "We start working on next year's toy drive on January 1."

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