Harlingen Sunburst Rotary club hosts Build a Comfort Buddy event

HARLINGEN — “Stay Strong.” “God Loves You.” “Be Happy.” “Free Hugs.” “Never Quit.”

These were just some of the messages written in marker on the little white T-shirts that adorned special stuffed bears, tigers, koalas, pigs, foxes, ducks, longhorns and beavers. These important messages will be shared with children through the animals thanks to the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club and numerous volunteers and friends.

More than 120 dedicated individuals, including police officers, nonprofit organizational leaders, enthusiastic local students, and committed volunteers from across the community, came together Wednesday to support the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club’s Build a Comfort Buddy event. Hosted at the Elks Lodge, this marked the Rotary Club’s second year of organizing and funding this community project.

The atmosphere buzzed with collaboration and generosity as participants worked side by side to create comforting companions for those in need. This showcased the spirit of unity and compassion that defines the Harlingen community. In addition to stuffing the animals, those in attendance named their animals and wrote colorful messages on the T-shirts all with the hopes to support and show love for youth in the community struggling through various experiences.

Kristin Luckey, the executive director of Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative, smiled as she held up her brown teddy bear dressed in a T-shirt with a message. Her organization will receive 50 of these stuffed animals to distribute to abused children and those struggling in the foster care system.

“The caseworkers specifically love this,” Luckey said of the stuffed creatures. “They love that they are able to give that child something extra. It’s not just meeting the needs, it’s also putting a smile on their face. And for a caseworker who deals with a lot of sadness and a lot of emotion, being able to put a smile on the child’s face means everything.”

The 125 Comfort Buddies created during the event will be given to children who require support, love, and care following tragic and difficult times.

The effort is a partnership between the Sunburst Rotary Club, the Harlingen Police Department, and local nonprofits. Last year, all Comfort Buddies were donated to the Harlingen Police Department. This year, the buddies will be distributed mostly to Blue Sunday and the Children’s Bereavement Center. Some will be provided to Beatriz DeLeon, the Harlingen Police Department’s crime victims liaison.

“All of our children receive a stuffed animal upon their first visit to the center, and that’s just a reminder of the comfort and support we hope they feel when they come to visit our center,” said Cindy Waddle, Children’s Bereavement Center counseling supervisor. “All of the stuffed bears we provide the kids are donated by the community members as a reminder to the kids that they are supported.”

However, she also knows these comfort buddies are extra special because of the event that put them together.

“These are even more special because we’ve seen all these people who have made them, and that is different than just getting a donation of a bunch of stuffed animals,” Waddle said. “I think there was a lot of love that was poured into these, and there’s true intention that goes to the organizations that are being recipients today.”

”We will make sure these get put back out into the RGV,” Luckey said.

DeLeon also knows far too well the needs of children facing assault, violence and tragedy in their lives. While DeLeon was helping assemble the stuffed animals with her co-workers from the police department, she will also be the one handing them out to children to comfort them when they are in need.

The Build a Comfort Buddy concept is part of the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club’s community efforts for 2025. This project received funding through a $3,000 matching grant from Rotary Club District 5930, which covers Clubs in the RGV and Coastal Bend areas. Additionally, the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club utilized its fundraising efforts to match this amount, while several locals and businesses also provided sponsorships to help pay for the buddies.

“We engage in a lot of community work, including volunteering for local organizations such as food pantries, and we host our own fundraising golf events that benefit high school students and the Family Crisis Center,” said Lisa Seiser, President of the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club. “However, this event, these stuffed animals, are truly unique and special. It is inspiring to see so many different individuals from various organizations and backgrounds come together for a common cause benefiting children in our city.”

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