Penny Wigglesworth and Michiko Eager |
As a child living in Yokohama, Japan, Michiko Eager dreamed of one day living in America and illustrating children’s books. Michiko was new to our Marblehead community when she was introduced to the volunteers at the Penny Bear Company. Her life’s goals and natural artistic talents perfectly complemented our need to illustrate the projects we were creating as volunteer outreach opportunities. Working in long-distance partnerships with staff members from the Double “H” Ranch summer camp in Lake Luzerne, New York, Camp Sunshine in South Casco, Maine, and Camp MerryTimes in Hendersonville, North Carolina…and locally with NANCamp in our hometown of Marblehead…Michiko illustrated personal journals for use by several hundred critically ill campers at each location. Her illustrations captured the fun and excitement of summer camp, while writing in the journals helped campers and their families recreate in their own words those magical moments when illness took a temporary back seat, and laughter became the best possible medicine. |
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Along with Penny Bear volunteer Marilyn Freeman, Michiko created activity books and calendars for younger children that are available for young hospital patients, shelter residents, school children and young-at-heart senior citizens living in reminiscence areas of assisted-living residences. Coloring and dot-to-dot pictures, secret code messages, pattern shapes and cutouts, hidden hearts, matching games, mazes, and more are not only fun to do, they all incorporate favorite Penny Bear messages of love, sharing, trust, respect, etc. Click here to view and print coloring pages. We have self-published Penny Bear’s Gift of Love to help children and their families move through the grieving process following the death of a loved one. The book is wonderfully illustrated by Michiko, and it is a long-awaited dream-come-true for her and for us! Click here to view more information. |
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Through her gentle, whimsical drawings, Michiko touches the hearts of people of all ages. It is an honor to have her bring visual life to all our Penny Bear programs. Michiko is a resident of New Hampshire, where she is balancing her artwork career with her role as a wife and the mother of two active young boys. She welcomes your comments about our Penny Bear projects, as well as inquiries regarding the possible commissioning of her time. Please contact Michiko at the Penny Bear Company address listed at the bottom of the screen and we will forward your comments to her. |
