(Columbus)--To provide relief to the flood victims in southern Ohio, the employees of the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Industrial Compliance will be preparing stuffed animals, pillows and comforters for distribution to those in need. The employees will be working on this project on Thursday, March 13 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Division of Industrial Compliance's offices at 6606 Tussing Road in Reynoldsburg. Approximately 130 stuffed toys along with 30 blankets, pillows and baby items destined for the flooded areas will be on display.

Each year, hundreds of stuffed animals and other stuffed products are received by the Bedding and Upholstered Furniture Lab in Cambridge. The lab cuts open the products and inspects the filler material to ensure that they are safe and accurately labeled for Ohio consumers.

Instead of disposing of these products after they have been tested, Lab personnel set them aside for distribution to the needy. In order to prepare these products for distribution, the Division of Industrial Compliance's employees will be working to carefully sew the stuffed toys and other items back up. The items will then be forwarded to volunteer organizations for distribution to flood victims.

"My hope is that the stuffed toys and assorted blankets will help ease the pain of the flood victims -- especially the children, " said Donna Owens, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce. "I want to thank our employees for their efforts in making this program a success."

In a related matter, the Bedding and Upholstered Furniture Section is warning flood victims that any bedding or upholstered furniture that has been in contact with and contaminated by flood water should be properly disposed of.

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