Tuggy’s Story
October 28, 2009 | By: Wendy
(As sent in by Brenda Baitzel - Tuggy the Bear’s “grandma”)
The summer of 2001 we went on vacation to New Hampshire, and for a day trip we drove over to Shelburne, VT specifically to visit the The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. My daughter was only 7 years old at the time and after taking the tour we let her pick out a bear and she decided on “Tuggy.” She selected the “friendship” stuffing, picked out the heart and tucked it inside, and when they finished sewing him up she cut the “umbilical cord.”
Being the only child at home, she developed a very close bond with this bear! Sleeping with it every night, and taking it on all future adventures. A little over two years passed and we went to Atlantic City for a weekend getaway. It was the weekend before New Year’s, which also fell on her birthday. After we checked in at the front desk, we got on the elevator; she had Tuggy under her arm and we were all loaded down with coats, purses, small over night bags and misc things, and head up to our room. We get into the room and start putting things away and all of a sudden she goes… “Where’s Tuggy?” We started searching frantically, running back to the elevator, trying to remember which one we came up on…. (there were 7 or 8!). As we were standing there waiting for the elevator, we met a bellman named Freddy, and when we got into the elevator he looked at my daughter and said, “Why are you so sad?” Jessica told him that it was “the worst birthday she has ever had because she had lost Tuggy” and we were looking for him, with no luck. He was not in the hall way, he’s not on the elevator, and he’s not in the lobby. We went back up to the room to search again, but he was nowhere to be found. I called security telling them how important he was and asked them if they could possibly look in the elevators to see if they could find him. They told me that they would be on the look out for him and we left for dinner. Jessica was extremely upset! I told her not to worry that we would find him, someone would turn him in.
After dinner we got a phone call from Freddy, asking if we had found him and after telling him no, he asked if he could come up to the room to bring Jessica another bear. Of course we said yes. Jessica thanked him and went to bed. She cried herself to sleep and was still crying when we got up in the morning. I called security, again (yes, Tuggy was that important) and they told me that if they found him they would send him to our house.
So we told Jessica once again as we were leaving the hotel room not to worry because when they found Tuggy they would send him home. (Secretly, I seriously doubted if we would ever see him again.) If you could have seen the look on this little girl’s face… she was heartbroken!
While we were in the elevator going to the lobby, we decide to eat breakfast before we got on the road and so we stopped at a restaurant we had seen advertised that was on the second or third floor. When we got to the front of the line the hostess asked Jessica why she looked so sad… and Jessica told her that she lost her Teddy Bear last night and we were leaving him behind and going home. The lady got this surprised look on her face and asked Jessica what he looked like. She said “He’s brown with a pink t-shirt” and the lady reached down under the counter and pulled out “Tuggy!” I could have cried. Jessica was soooo happy! Evidently when Jessica had dropped him in the elevator, someone had picked him up and turned him in at the hostess counter the night before. She said she was going to turn him in to lost and found the first chance she got. Talking about the best birthday present ever!!! And how lucky we were that we decided to try a new restaurant that morning! Amazing!
We have stayed at the same hotel every time we go back to Atlantic City and yes, we still keep in touch with Freddy. By the way, I bought a cat collar and a small leash for Tuggy to wear whenever he left the house after that little adventure! Jessica is almost 16 now and still sleeps with Tuggy every night, even taking Tuggy with her on sleep overs. All of her friends accept Tuggy as a way of life!
Thanks for letting me share our special story….
Brenda Baitzel
Topics: Bear Bear | 3 Comments »
VTB Welcomes Donnavventura!
October 14, 2009 | By: Wendy
On Saturday, October 3rd, Vermont Teddy Bear welcomed the cast and crew from the Italian reality show “Donnavventura” to our Factory. Although much more relaxed that “The Amazing Race,” this show has been described as the Italian equivalent and features six young women traveling to all parts of the globe to visit interesting places.
The girls had a great time and especially loved the personalized Bear Buttons the Bear Ambassadors made for them (it’s the small things in life). A huge thanks to Bear Ambassadors Peter, Shiloh, and Erin for helping out, and to Jesse for being so flexible with shuffling around a few tour times.
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
BizRate Circle of Excellence
September 29, 2009 | By: Wendy
As reported by VTB’s Liz LaVallee: Vermont Teddy Bear has won a 2009 BizRate Circle of Excellence Award, for above average ratings in customer service and customer satisfaction! Over 5,000 retailers were considered. Click here for the entire list of winners: http://www.bizrate.com/boutique/2009circleofexcellence.html.
Thanks, BizRate, and thank you to our wonderful customers!
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
Welcome Katie
September 28, 2009 | By: Wendy
A big Vermont Teddy Bear welcome to our new Traffic Coordinator in our Graphic Design Department - Katie Foerster! Photo (from left to right): Katie, Ted, Victor, & Rebecca.
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
Intercorporate Bocce Tournament
September 28, 2009 | By: Wendy
On Friday, September 25th, under blue skies but somewhat windy and chilly weather, bocce teams from several Vermont companies, including Vermont Teddy Bear, Gardener’s Supply, Small Dog Electronics, My Web Grocer, Hampton Direct, CPA Site Solutions, and UVM, gathered at The Vermont Teddy Bear Company to compete in the 6th annual Intercorporate Bocce Tournement.
The twelve teams were organized into three pools, with each team playing the other three teams in their pool in a series of timed games that lasted 15 minutes each. Once the timed games were complete, the four highest-scoring teams (two from VTB, one from Hampton Direct, and one from My Web Grocer) continued playing in a regular tournament style bracket - VTB’s Jason Baer & Jason Segelman played Hampton Direct’s Steve Heroux and Everett Ingalls while VTB’s Rick Coon and Ann Lamb played My Web Grocer’s Gerry Howatt and Courtney Greisser (interestingly enough, both Gerry and Courtney are VTB alum).
The bocce field grew quiet and intense play continued for about an hour. The Jason, Jason, Steve, Everett match ended first - with Hampton emerging victorious. They then went on to play VTB’s Ann and Rick, who won their match against Courtney and Gerry.
The final score? Ann & Rick grabbed the coveted Intercorporate Bocce Trophy - beating Hampton Direct’s Steve & Everett 15-8 in the final game.
Congratulations to VTB’s Rick Coon & Ann Lamb for bringing the Intercorporate Bocce Tournament trophy back home where it belongs! 
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
Meet “Pandy” - One Well-Loved Bear
September 24, 2009 | By: Wendy
We’ve had some great success with our Bucks for Bears program, and are now happily providing a permanent home for some very well-loved Bears - like this little guy named “Pandy.” He was sent to us by Mary Jo Kurtz, along with this touching letter.
“Dearest Friends on The Bear Crew,
I am writing to take advantage of your “Bucks for Bears” program.
I have enclosed Pandy, my treasured bear from childhood, for you so that he can have a permanent home at your Shelburne factory. How nice for Pandy to find a place to retire after nearly 50 years!
As you can see, Pandy is a very loved bear. I don’t recall life without Pandy, so I suspect he came into my life when it started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1960. I have fond memories of sewing him back together after a hard day of playing outside, pulling him from the trash can when Mom thought she could sneak his dirty little body from my bedroom, and trimming his hair (that one might be a little obvious). I even recall, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, feeling such love for him that I once tucked him into my bed so that he could have a comfortable place to sleep – and I laid on the floor next to him for the night.
Pandy has lived in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts, and I have assured him that he will love Vermont. I don’t worry about giving up Pandy because, having visited your factory once a few years ago, I am sure you will give him the home and respect deserving of a bear’s life well lived. It is certainly a more royal way for him to live than in the bottom drawer of my dresser.
Thank you so much for giving Pandy a wonderful new home!
Respectfully,
Mary Jo Kurtz”
Topics: Bear Bear | 2 Comments »
“BUCKS for BEARS”
August 25, 2009 | By: Wendy
Introducing our own version of Cash for Clunkers! Get a $20 credit towards a new Bear purchase.
The government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program may be out of money, but there’s another way to turn something old and worn out into cash toward something brand new. Introducing our “Bucks for Bears” program! Just send us your old, worn out teddy bear and we’ll give you a $20 credit toward the purchase of an authentic, handcrafted Vermont Teddy Bear.
If you’re not getting the mileage you’d hoped out of your old teddy bear, we encourage you to trade it in for cash towards a Bear that will really go the distance. Vermont Teddy Bears are handmade right here in Vermont, USA and are unconditionally guaranteed for life, so you’ll have your new Bear forever.
If you’re local or want to make the trek to Shelburne, VT, you can bring your old teddy bear to us here at The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory and receive your $20 discount on the spot. The credit is good towards any 15″ Vermont Teddy Bear (a $49 minimum purchase) and your new Bear must be purchased the same day.
You also have the option of mailing your old bears directly to us. Just include your name and phone number when you mail us you bear, we’ll give you a call when we receive it, and will take your new Vermont Teddy Bear order right over the phone.
What will happen to your old bear? It will be given a permanent home here at our Shelburne factory, so other visitors can see them and you can even stop in for a visit.
We welcome teddy bears of all shapes and sizes, but be warned that the money allocated for this program may run out soon, so if you’re interested in taking advantage of the “Bucks for Bears” program, we recommend to you send us your old bear as soon as possible.
Want more info?
Just call a friendly Bear Counselor at 1-800-829-BEAR (2327) or email customerservice@vtbear.com.
Ready to send us your bear?
1. Put your old, worn out bear in a box or padded envelope.
2. Don’t forget to include your name and phone number.
3. Mail your bear to:
ATTN: “Bucks for Bears”
The Vermont Teddy Bear Company
6655 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT 05482
Topics: Bear Bear | 13 Comments »
Where’s Samuel?
July 21, 2009 | By: Wendy
In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s discovery of Vermont’s famous lake - Lake Champlain - we designed a special edition Samuel de Champlain Vermont Teddy Bear and donated it to the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce. They’ll be using it in a summer-long fundraising event, giving Sam the Bear an opportunity to travel all around the Lake Champlain region (let us know if you see him anywhere!). Keep reading for a fun article written by our friends at VermontVacation.com.
Samuel de Champlain, aka a special edition Vermont Teddy Bear, is visiting the Champlain Islands this summer and fall, making friends and showing off his 17th century attire complete with feathered hat and leather boots, and he sports a goatee.
His appearance in 2009 marks the 400th anniversary of his first visit to Lake Champlain, a lake he liked so much he named it after himself! In this Quadricentennial year Sam hopes to visit all the towns in the Champlain Islands. He may make a couple of forays into the Burlington area.
Sponsored by the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce, Sam is keeping a busy schedule, with appearances at weekend festivals and events celebrating the Quadricentennial, and resting in between at shops and attractions.
His future, however, is uncertain; he will be raffled off to a lucky winner at the Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce’s Oktoberfest celebration at Apple Island resort on October 10th, right in the middle of AppleFest in South Hero.
Sam will soon be tweeting his whereabouts on LCIChamberVT. In the meantime, following are a few of his ports of call:
- July 24- 26, Champlain Islands Arts Organization art show, Grand Isle School
- August 6-7, Island Arts Craft Show at Shore Acres, North Hero
- August 8-9, Hero’s Welcome General Store for North Hero Days
- October 10, Chamber Oktoberfest at Apple Island Resort
For more information, call the Chamber at (800) 262-5226 or 802-372-8400, or go to www.champlainislands.com to purchase raffle tickets.
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
Pirate Eye Patches Arrrrrrr a Big Hit
June 8, 2009 | By: Wendy
(Submitted by Laura Bushey, Vermont Teddy Bear Company HR Department) “I just wanted to share the news that we donated 665 eye patches to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes for their Kids’ Pirate festival this past weekend (June 6th & 7th). The eye patches were discovered in our inventory and we quickly found that they were not Bear sized, but for humans. Not knowing exactly how to utilize the eye patches, we kept them around for a rainy day. Just this last week, we discovered the event and Emma LaGoy (Bear Ambassador in the Bear Shop) passed the information on to the right people! For more information about the Kids’ Pirate Festival, go to www.lcmm.org.”
Topics: Bear Bear | No Comments »
The Power of a Bear Hug
June 2, 2009 | By: Wendy
Meet our new friend Noah…with his new friend – a yellow Vermont Teddy Bear. Noah is a little boy who recently lost his mom and was alone with her when she passed away unexpectedly. When we heard about Noah’s story, some members of our Bear Crew got together and sent him a yellow Vermont Teddy Bear. Why yellow? As a result of a visual impairment, Noah can’t see some colors all that well, but yellow is one of his best. This picture was sent to us by the principal at Noah’s school, along with a note that read, “This picture documents Noah’s first smile since his mom suddenly passed away.” Quite a testament to the power a simple Bear hug can have. We wish Noah and his family peace and happiness. They will continue to be in our thoughts.
Topics: Bear Bear | 9 Comments »
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