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 Theodore Van Gogh bear (Teddy) is three feet tall, brown, fuzzy, loveable and likes hugs...Teddy lives with artist Margaret Hoybach near Charleston, S.C. Teddy was a normal stuffed animal until Margaret started dressing him. Then he took on a life of his own. Margaret is his secretary, chauffer and caretaker. She carries him on her back in a custom backpack covered with patches and pins of the places he has visited. Teddy's main job is being the mascot for Happy Days and Special Times, an organization in South Carolina for children with cancer. He makes hospital visits and attends the annual camp held for one week during the summer. He is a full participant in camp activities and rides in boats, climbs the "wall", jumps the "blob" and receives at least a thousand hugs during the week. One year he jumped with the skydiving team, an annual event. Margaret, his caretaker, has been the Art Director of Happy Days for the last 15 years.
As a good will ambassador, Teddy makes appearances at elementary schools both in the U.S. and Europe. Wearing costumes from different countries, he teaches the children to say "hello" in 8 different languages. He is a great teaching tool for geography and social studies. Theodore has numerous pen pals and can be reached at Margaret's address: 1720 Congressional Blvd., Summerville, SC 29483-5132. |
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Teddy
has traveled throughout the United States and since 1998 has visited
19 countries on four continents around the world. In 2000 he went
around the world, a trip taking 37 days and 17 flights. He has logged
over 75,000 miles in the last 9 years. He has ridden horses in the
Rockies, an elephant 
in
Indonesia, a camel in Egypt to visit the pyramids, a dog sled in Switzerland
and in a hot air balloon.