Over three hundred showed up to the 21st Annual Doll and Bear benefit show at the Lafayette Hotel.

The benefit supports the teddy bear fund at the children's hospital at Marietta Memorial Hospital by raffles and a silent auction.

Appraisers were made available to give the value of things brought in or bought at the show.

Collectors, makers, buyers and supporters.

The Annual Doll and Bear benefit show offered something for everyone.

"People were lined up before we opened up at ten oclock, so what does that tell you. It is popular, we have regular people and these exhibitors we have oh... probably 30 exhibitors that have come from four different states and they keep coming back every year because they enjoy it too," says the show coordinator Anna Vukovic.

Expert appraiser, Ken Yenke says after helping in this show for the past twenty years-- he has watched families grow up.
Yenke says he has seen turn of the century pieces be worth up to ten-thousand dollars.

"So you don't want someone to accidentally give that away, or sell it in a garage sale for a dollar. So we're trying to help people realize the value of what these collectibles are," explains Yenke.

But Yenke explains the true value lies within the history and the memories made.

"And I tell them how to make it worth more... by saving photographs and pictures of the item as people are younger and then as they grow up take other pictures and ultimately it's the story with the item, not the item, that really adds to it being a treasures," says Yenke.

And this benefit show-- leaves children with that special treasure.
Proceeds from help buy each child in the hospital a bear.

The bear makes it easier for children to handle their time at the hospital-- and keeping the bear gives them a memory and a friend.

""Everybody understands a teddy bear and we use these bears to explain unfamiliar procedures, if they're going to surgery we explain that the teddy bear will is sleeping or if they are getting a cast on." I've had note from parents thanking us for the teddy bears saying what a difference it made when my child came to the ER and had to be treated and we saw this warm fuzzy little bear. It does make a difference, it's great therapy," says Vokuvic.

Yenke says Teddy Bears have outsold all other toys every year since 1907.