That may be true in some towns and cities, but not in Frederick, Maryland. It’s actually quite the opposite thanks to our store there.

Here’s What All the Buzz is About:

Pump It Up of Frederick hosts an event every year and it’s quickly catching on. It’s called the Teddy Bear Round Up. Kids who participate in the event bring a furry, stuffed friend from home or from the store to donate to other kids who need them most. Each stuffed animal is thoroughly inspected. It is at this time that the decision is made whether or not each Teddy Bear is safe for reuse by other children.

This event is a way for kids to make a difference in the community, to see what small, random acts of kindness can really do, and to be a part of something bigger.

So who gets these tiny furry treasures?

Police Departments, Fire Departments, and children’s hospitals receive these donated stuffed animals after their inspection and give them out to children they encounter who need them. Their purpose is to provide comfort to children in any sort of traumatic situation, whether it’s physical, emotional, mental, or anywhere in between.

In years past, over 400 bears have been collected by the Frederick community. That’s 400 children who received comfort, love, and cuddles in their times of need. That’s 400 children who had their hope restored. That’s 400 children who will be forever grateful to the Frederick community. And Pump It Up strives to reach many more children in future years through the Teddy Bear Round Up.

This event is a favorite of the Frederick community, and for good reason. Smiles surround the donation site as kids of all ages pile in to make their donations. Last year, over 150 people pre-registered for the event and many more signed up on the day of the event.

Happiness for Everyone

How did it start?

This is the fifth annual Teddy Bear Round Up, but the inspiration for this event started long before. The owner of Pump It Up of Frederick, Amy Southmayd, got the idea from a family in South Carolina where she used to live. Every year, this family would have a party where they would collect teddy bears for children that needed comfort aids. Now running a store dedicated to creating joy for children, Amy decided to continue that family’s efforts all the way in Frederick, Maryland.

It’s been a continuing success every year, for everyone involved. As pictures are taken throughout the event, there isn’t a frown in sight. Parents get to see their children learn what giving really means. Kids who donate get a reward for giving back. And a child in need gets a new fuzzy friend to lean on.

That’s what we call a win-win.

While searching the internet for the best kids’ birthday and kids’ birthday party stories from around the world, we came across Free Cakes for Kids Scarborough, a new organization formed by avid bakers in the English town with one simple goal, making sure no child goes without a cake for their birthday or birthday party. The completely volunteer group donates their time and efforts to making the most important day in a child’s year special when it otherwise may not have been.

“As a child my mum and dad always made me a birthday cake and I don’t like the idea that a child will not have a birthday cake,” The organizer of the group, Felicity Day, told the Scarbourgh News. “It’s a good opportunity to bake and hopefully make a child’s birthday a bit happier.”

We researched and found out that the organization isn’t simply limited to Scarborough, it’s a country wide volunteer network with more than 60 groups throughout England and is open to anyone with a big enough kitchen and heart to bake a cake for a child in need.

So what brought such a large group together and why show such great compassion for little ones in the UK? The group’s website FreeCakesForKids.org describes it best.

So what is Free Cakes for Kids all about? A simple answer would be this: a caring community. As volunteers with a passion for baking, we care for families who find it difficult to provide a birthday cake for their child. Baking in our own homes and kitchens, we believe that every child deserves a birthday cake. Using our skills as bakers, neighbors and good citizens, we battle hardship, build relations, encourage volunteering and create memories that last longer than a day.

They believe so much in their mission that they haven’t just made cakes for kids but kids at heart too. One baker even make a themed cake for a man turning 80 years old who grew up in an orphanage and didn’t have family to celebrate with him on his milestone birthday.

It’s yet another reminder of the importance of a child’s birthday and how making it special can have a lasting impact long after the cards have been thrown away and they’ve outgrown the gifts. The celebration, the memories and the kindness of others are what will stay with someone well into adulthood.

Don’t worry, this post isn’t all doom and gloom. Just the beginning.

This is the story of 9-year-old Gerald Hamilton. A young man, who had undergone 5 different skull expansion surgeries in his short life. Like any child his age, he simply wanted to celebrate his birthday with his classmates. Unfortunately, his simple birthday wish didn’t come true.

Of the 30 classmates that Gerald and his mother invited to the party, 12 responded saying they’d come. When the young man’s big day rolled around, he helped set up the party and waited for his friends to arrive. He waited an hour and then two and no one showed up.

Like we said, kids, like adults, can be cruel. But that’s not how the story ended.

Gerald’s loving grandmother turned to Facebook to simply share her perspective and frustration on the situation. She didn’t simply want to vent, she also wanted to find a way to make her grandson’s birthday a little better.

I’m going to vent right now. My grandson who is in second grade and has had at least 5 skull expansion surgeries, is slower then the other kids in his class. However, he is the kindest, most compassionate kid I know. His mother sent 30 invitations to his class. 12 said they were coming. At, 3 o’clock he made sure his goodie bags were ready for his friends, he was dressed and ready to party. At 5:00 p.m. he was still sitting there not wanting to cut his cake because one person might show up. When my daughter called the 12 parents to find out what was going on. Here is their response. My child can’t play with yours he is just to different. How sad he is 9 he just wants to have friends. So no one came, no cards, no presents. So, it is my mission to have as many cards as I can mailed to my little guy. You can send them to me and I’ll make sure he gets them….this breaks my heart.

Since Amelia originally wrote her post on April 4th she’s received an amazing outpouring of support for Gerald. Her post has been shared almost 4,500 times by Facebook users and, according to WISHTV.com, he’s received over 1,000 birthday cards from around the world. It’s not just cards he’s received though. According to the Huffington Post, he’s also been sent toys, event tickets and got to be players from the Chicago Eagles of the Champions Indoor Football League.

It’s stories like Gerald’s that help remind us all that, good or bad, a child’s birthday can have a lasting impact in a world that isn’t always as simple as we assume it is for them.