Monkey Love Drive Nets More Than 2,000 Stuffed Animals

CONTRIBUTEDThe 8th Annual Monkey Love Valentine drive shaped up to be one of the most successful collections ever! 

Over 2,000 stuffed monkeys were collected by various groups and companies in the area. 

Eileen Henri of Derby and Joanne Czaplizki of Stratford, members of Keith Urban’s online community, the Ville,” coordinated a collection again this year.

Plush monkeys were mailed in from nine countries, including Italy, Australia, Canada, England and Spain, as well as 38 states within the United States! Keith Urban’s fans collected over 1,760 monkeys!

Their goal was to collect more than last year, which netted 1,162. With the generous support and kindness of Keith Urban’s fans, they went way beyond their goal and continued to make this drive a global effort.

In honor of Keith Urban and his fans, 300 stuffed monkeys were donated to Yale-New Haven Children’s hospital.

CONTRIBUTEDJennifer Sneider, owner of J‑Cuts barber shop located at 505 Howe Ave., downtown Shelton, is amazed at the outpouring of kindness from the community and the Keith Urban Ville” fan club and Facebook fans.

Every year our collection gets bigger and bigger,” says Sneider. I didn’t expect to collect so many monkeys this year.” 

J‑Cuts became the main drop off location after taking the drive over from the owners of Luther’s Garage, which is now closed.

Additional collection locations included Minuteman Press of 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2 and the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, 10 Progress Drive, 2nd Floor, both of Shelton. 

Minuteman Press also donated posters. 

The Shelton Lion’s Club held their own collection again this year.

Ruth Rogers, owner of Topside Cafe, 333 Boston Post Road, Milford, along with Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi, held their 4th Annual Monkey Love Sunday on Jan. 26.

As a member of the online meetup group, Party Express, Marconi decided to invite them to Topside each year to a monkey drop off party. Between donations from this group and many loyal customers of Topside, over 100 stuffed monkeys were collected — double the amount from last year! 

Topside holds a Monkey Love Sunday celebration each year on the Sunday before Super Bowl. Next year, they hope to have other area pubs in Milford and Shelton join in. 

Some newcomers to the annual collection include the Milford Fire Department, dropping off over 50 stuffed monkeys, Bright Horizons child care center of 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton and United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin St., Ansonia.

The United Methodist Women, led by Barbara Tchakirides, crocheted 25 adorable and colorful stuffed monkeys.

CONTRIBUTEDWe enjoyed crocheting these monkeys for a good cause — children,” says Tchakirides. I asked coordinators if they’ll be collecting again next year. When I learned the drive will continue, I became very excited because we can get a head start on crocheting!”

This annual community event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, and frightened children involved in police calls, as well as children who may feel a little left out when a younger sibling is born and children treated for cancer or other illnesses at local hospitals. 

The 7th Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive, held in 2013, collected and distributed over 1,500 stuffed monkeys to area organizations to distribute to children in need. 
CONTRIBUTEDChildren benefited by the drive this year are serviced by the Milford and Lower Naugatuck Valley (Shelton) Boys & Girls Clubs, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven, TEAM, Inc. in Derby and Ansonia, BHcare’s Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia, the ACT-Spooner House in Shelton, Griffin Hospital of Derby, the Department of Children & Families in Milford and the Lower Naugatuck Valley-Parent Child Resource Center.

Coordinators also dropped off 26 stuffed monkeys in Newtown to be given to children affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

As a result of greatly surpassing last year’s final numbers, coordinators were able to reach out to additional agencies who service children. With the assistance of Jack Walsh, from the Valley United Way, some monkey love was spread even further.

The VNA of South Central Connecticut, the International Institute of CT, Refugee Services division of Bridgeport, Julia Day Nursery & Kindergarten of Ansonia, and the Salvation Army in Ansonia were also recipients of some new friends to present to children in need.

According to Laura Jones, Manager, Refugee Services at the International Institute of CT, We serve recently-arrived refugee families, as well as asylees, asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking. We serve a number of children who come to us through these programs, either on their own or with their parents, who would really appreciate receiving one of these special monkeys.”

This year, coordinators wanted to reach back into the world and give to a sweet child in need. They chose to send a few new friends to Kaylee, a 2‑year-old from Texas who adores stuffed monkeys! Kaylee struggles with nothing but smiles every day as she works tirelessly with her Mom, Dad and therapists to learn simplest body movements such as sitting up and holding her head up on her own. According to her Mom’s post on Facebook, Kaylee has polymicrogyria, epilepsy, CVI, cerebral palsy and has a G button. She works hard every day and is a happy girl. Also, Kaylee loves and collects sock monkeys!”

Kaylee can be followed on her Facebook page, Kaylee Rae’s Story.” Kaylee and her parents reside in Cypress, Texas. She is currently in the hospital Coordinators thought it would be special to send her some monkeys to cheer her up!

Kaylee’s parents maintain a Facebook page to show off Kaylee’s smiles and bring awareness to polymicrogyria. Kaylee has bilateral generalized polymicrogyria, which means she has too many small folds on her brain. Kaylee seemed perfect as a newborn until reaching 4 months old. Her parents noticed she still wasn’t able to hold her head up or track objects like other babies her age, so doctors started testing. She is an inspiration to all of her Facebook followers around the World! 

According to Sneider, This is my fourth year being involved. We have so much fun. My customers, co-workers and family all love to get involved! We decorate the barber shop in anticipation of a whole bunch of monkeys moving in for a little while. It is an amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and children will find comfort in these monkeys.” 

For information on participating next year, beginning January 1, 2015, call J‑Cuts at 203 – 924-4107.

J‑Cuts also holds an Annual Back-To-School Book Bag & School Supply Drive which begins July 1st.

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