What a Doll!

At The Corner Ice Cream Shop and Cafe in Eldred, NY there are over 1,000 hand-holding paper dolls encircling the top of the walls acting as a paper doll frieze. Each doll represents a $1 donation to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Though small in stature themselves, the dolls represent the generosity of those whose big hearts are overflowing with concern for the needs of both childhood cancer researchers, doctors and their young patients. Lou Monteleone, a radio personality at Thunder 102 FM and manager of the Eldred Preserve and The Corner, launched the Line of Hope Paper Doll Campaign in an effort to raise awareness and funds for kids with cancer. The proceeds from the fundraising campaign will benefit St. Baldrick’s. The idea for the paper dolls came from Monteleone's St. Baldrick's event in August, Lord of the Trout's Conga Against Cancer and Line of Hope. “I always had this thing about large groups of people getting together. Whether you’re holding hands or you’re in a line doing something, I just feel the power in quantities of people really sets an example,” said Monteleone, “But, it’s also about teaching kids, getting kids involved [in helping other kids], giving them some purpose of feeling good, because they will after they participate, when they make the dolls.” After holding the Longest Line Dance and Conga Against Cancer in August, Monteleone felt he wanted to keep going with raising funds for St. Baldrick’s, but how? He realized that paper dolls were the answer. “I just thought that the symbolism is in holding hands,” he said. “You know these kids [with cancer], what they go through every day, and the families are battling, too. I thought that by making the paper dolls, personalizing them and having them holding hands in a line, that it could be a symbolic thing just as much as a monetary thing. Dolls can be purchased for a $1 donation and are then added to the Line of Hope, which currently numbers 675 paper dolls in total. Hundreds of paper dolls holding “paper hands” encircle the interior walls of the ice cream shop, The Corner in Eldred. “I firmly believe that if we all do a little…a lot will be done. Nothing is more powerful than people holding hands in solidarity for something they believe in. This is the symbolism I envisioned when I came up with this idea,” said Monteleone, whose line dance and conga line fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s in August, raising more than $2,000 for the foundation. He is also encouraging schools and children’s organizations to join in the fun and make a difference. Paper dolls can be purchased at the ice cream shop located at the Four Corners in Eldred, or by emailing lineofhope@hvc.rr.com. Donors can also color or draw in embellishments for their paper doll before sending it in to join the Line of Hope. Dolls that are received from other parts of the United States will have their city and state noted on the doll’s feet. Can’t wait to participate, click these links, print and create your dolls and send them with your donation to Lou Monteleone, c/o The Eldred Preserve, PO Box 111, Eldred, NY 12732. Paper Doll Cut-Outs 1 Paper Doll Cut-Outs 2