(Columbus)--Donna Owens, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce, and Commerce employees will be preparing stuffed toys, blankets and pillows for distribution to victims of the recent floods in all the flood affected areas of Ohio. This project will take place on Thursday, July 9, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Ohio Department of Commerce, located at 77 South High Street, 23rd floor in Columbus. Approximately 400 stuffed toys along with blankets, pillows and other items destined for the flooded areas will be on display while employees make repairs.

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, Commerce employees will be working to carefully sew the stuffed items back together making them good-as-new. The items will then be forwarded to volunteer organizations for distribution to flood victims.

"It is my sincere hope that these assorted toys, blankets and other items will provide some small comfort to those who have lost and suffered so much due to the floods --- especially the children, "said Director Owens. "I want to thank our employees for giving of themselves to help others in need."

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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