Moose Lodge donates stuffed animals for children

PHOENIX — Phoenix children in crisis will have something to comfort them thanks to a donation of stuffed animals.

Moose Lodge 2072 near 24th Street and Baseline Road donated 250 stuffed Tommy Moose dolls for children.

“We donated half of them to the police department and the other half to the fire department,” said Lodge Governor Joe Borquez. “They are the first ones on the scene when an accident happens and the young children are crying for help saying things like ‘Where’s my mommy? Where’s my daddy?’ The police and fire personnel will carry one stuffed Tommy Moose in their vehicle, and can give it to a child to comfort them.”

The Moose looks like Bullwinkle. He has a red shirt on that says “Tommy,” and blue pants. The back of his shirt has the group’s website.

Borquez said that it was Moose Lodge member in Connecticut named Tommy who came up with the idea for the stuffed doll.

“Apparently it hit real big in Connecticut and is starting to move it’s way to the west,” said Borquez. “We have other Moose Lodges that are doing the same thing here in the state of Arizona.”

The lodge raised the money for the dolls through dances and other fundraisers. Borquez said they eventually hope to raise enough money to donate dolls to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.