Most of us aspire to be like our parents, but for a few of us our parents not only inspire us but inspire others.  Such is the case with a staff member here at The Arbors.  Colleen Ennis grew up with a normal childhood watching her mother take care of her and her siblings.  But just recently, Colleen realized how special her mother, Maureen Ennis really is.  It was the day her mother came to The Arbors to donate 29 Friendship Dolls to our residents who reside in our Safe Care neighborhood.  To help celebrate National Assisted Living Week, with a little fanfare, Maureen Ennis and a few of her fellow volunteers, including Nancy cook, handed out the Friendship Dolls along with a small lap blanket to our residents.  What is a Friendship Doll you ask?  Well a Friendship Doll is made with love and 100% volunteer spirit. It was made to help people going through a hard time and living with dementia and was inspired by “The Giving Doll”.

Seven years ago, Maureen Ennis connected with a woman who started an organization called The Giving Doll, Maureen’s interest was sparked after finding out The Giving Doll was a doll made for children who were going through a rough time, suffering from an illness, losing a parent or sibling, or any child in need of comfort.  So in 2011 Maureen started the NY chapter of The Giving Doll, working out of her home with a handful of women the organization blossomed with over 200 volunteers with over 11,300 dolls made for children worldwide.  The Friendship Doll was created by Marisa Princiotta. Relying purely on donations and volunteers Maureen has created a way to give back to those in need.  Now in 31 states and 20 countries The Giving Dolls have started a movement that we hope will continue to grow and with our help it can.  If you are interested in knowing more about this organization and how you can be a part of it, please contact Maureen Ennis at 631-278-4699.