There were smiles all around as members of the Doll House Miniature Group met at the Thames Senior Center to donate two little houses to CARE House, a non-profit, United Way Agency, which serves the needs of abused and neglected children in Baldwin County.

Robin Fuqua, education coordinator for CARE House, was on hand to receive the two doll houses. She told the group the houses will be used for play therapy and in the counseling process. Looking at the houses, she said, “This is amazing. So much work has gone into these houses.” She said one of the houses will be placed at CARE House in Summerdale and one at CARE House in Bay Minette.

The agency also offers education on child abuse prevention, resources, referral services and provides counseling and court advocates for the children and their families. The special child advocacy center opened its doors in 1989, making available a more home-like environment in which to interview the young victims, eliminating the necessity of taking them into governmental and law enforcement offices.

Members of the Doll House Miniatures Group assembled the houses, furnished and decorated them, even making tiny throw pillows and flower arrangements. From tiny newspapers to little dishes, each house was completely furnished by the members, who made many of the lilliputian items. They bought and placed doll house families in the rooms.

Maxine and Jeffrey Kline of Daphne donated the doll house kits to the group. Maxine, who is a member of the Doll House Miniature Group, said she and her husband wanted to do something special for their anniversary, so they bought each other a house and then donated them. Maxine said knowing that the houses will be used in therapy for abused children made the donation even more significant for her.

“My husband and I wanted to do something special for our anniversary. I was the victim of sexual abuse by a friend of the family before the age of three, so I know how important CARE House is to the children they serve,” Kline said. She said she and her husband plan to donate more houses for the Doll House Miniatures Group to build and donate.

Fuqua told the members of the group some of the services CARE House offers to the community, noting that Baldwin County is fortunate to have a special place to interview and counsel children who are the victims of abuse. She said CARE House served over 300 Baldwin County children in 2006.

As she was handed the two “deeds” to the houses, Fuqua said, “It’s wonderful to have people in the community that care about our abused children.”

Sandy Stillman, who is the leader of the miniature group, said, “This project was a labor of love by all the members of the group. We worked with diligence to complete these houses because we all knew they would be helping children that had a tough go of it so early in their lives.”

The members of the Doll House Miniatures Group who were on hand for the presentation were Sandy Stillman, Ellen Ferruolo, Betty Summerour, Mary Baker, J.P. Wills, Maxine Kline, Judy Gridler, Sarah Duncan, Ella Kubina and Nell Calloway. Olivia Campbell and Helen Crouch were also at the presentation.

Members who not in attendance were Cheryl Roy, Diane Lowe, Barbara Landers, Mary Ross, Nancy Brown and Marilynn Digman.

Stillman said as she watched Fuqua drive away with the little houses, she could “feel my heart full of happiness.”

Judging by the smiles on the faces of the other members of the group, they shared the joy Stillman was expressing.