Something to hold

COEUR d'ALENE - The moment she heard about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Megan Stanley knew she had to do something, anything, to console students there.

"Those children need comfort," said the Woodland Middle School eighth-grader.

"They might have lost a best friend, they might have watched their best friend die," she said. "They need something to hold on to."

So 13-year-old Megan thought, what could do the trick?

The answer came as she looked around her room.

Stuffed animals.

Megan, daughter of Jim and Teresa Stanley of Coeur d'Alene, hopes to collect 1,000 soft, cuddly critters like bears, tigers, monkeys and rabbits by the end of January. Then, she'll have them shipped to the school in Newtown, Conn.

She'll include some of her own collection.

Her mother, Teresa Stanley, said she is "beyond proud" of her daughter.

She was touched and Megan came to her with the proposal to gather stuffed animals for children across the country.

"I want to do anything I can to help her," Teresa said.

Donations, including cash to help cover shipping costs, are being accepted at Sherman Hardware, 1010 E. Sherman; Lightning Comics, 411 W. Haycraft Ave.; and Temptation Cupcakes at the Prairie Shopping Center.