Coming to stay in Orange to go to the hospital is a scary time for many small sick children.
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The Ronald McDonald House and other organisations in the city try and help make the stay is as comfortable as it can be - sometimes children need a bit more, and the Country Women's Association's Angela Cowan is trying to provide that.
Mrs Cowan has been knitting and crocheting for the past 10 years, making crocheted teddies and toys for children staying at Ronald McDonald House, and before that for those born prematurely at the hospital.
It doesn't hurt to do things like this to help other people.
- Angela Cowan
"Two of my boys were premi [born prematurely] and we had support so it's my turn to pay it forward to these mums," she said.
Her branch of the CWA has been making toys alongside her, but some of the other ladies make special "cuddle blankets" as well as beanies, scarves and more.
"One thing we did last year, we did the Little Golden Books, which are stories for little kids, and I crocheted some of the characters out of them, and Dumbo and a few others and gave the book and the toy to them," Mrs Cowan said.
"Quite often it's traumatic for the kids being there and going to hospital. Instead of doing the normal trauma teddies we decided to do a normal toy. We also do stuff for the premi-babaes association."
Mrs Cowan is able to finish "four to six" bears, toys or blankets a month, and has a group of over 20 others helping her.
"It doesn't hurt to do things like this to help other people and it gives me something to do, all my children are adults now so I have a bit of spare time," she said.
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