Monkeys to be given to hundreds of children in need
Written by The Huntington Herald
Friday, 17 February 2012 01:00
The Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive again showed there's a lot of love in the Valley, organizers said.
J-Cuts Barber Shop in downtown Shelton, Topside Café in Milford, Eileen Henri's Keith Urban "Monkeyville" members and Facebook fans and Joshua Sussan's Troop 1 Milford Boy Scouts helped collected monkeys to donate to children in need.
This year, 907 stuffed monkeys were collected and distributed to the A.C.T./Spooner House Homeless Shelter, Department of Family and Children's Aid Shelton and Danbury Safe Homes, the Shelton Police Department, Covenant to Care for Children, Bridgeport Hospital, Griffin Hospital, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital and the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.
Members of country singer Keith Urban's online community, "Monkeyville" and his Facebook fans from all over the world, have contributed to the drive by mailing stuffed monkeys to Derby resident and Monkeyville member, Eileen Henri. They have participated in this drive since the beginning. This year, monkeys were mailed from as far as Canada, Spain, England, Australia and Germany. They were also sent in from 30 states. A total of 707 stuffed monkeys were collected.
Joshua Sussan, a J-Cuts customer, decided to help out by leading Troop 1 of the Milford Boy Scouts in a community drive. They collected 36 stuffed monkeys.
Topside Café in Milford held its annual "Monkey Love Sunday" in January to collect monkeys. This was their second year getting involved on their own.
Jennifer Sneider, owner of J-Cuts, uses her business as the main collection and drop off location.
"This is my second year doing it," said Sneider. "We have so much fun. My customers get involved and my teenage daughter and her friends join in to help by decorating the barber shop in anticipation of a whole bunch of monkeys moving in for a little while."
Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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