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When Marie Bentley started a local chapter of the Smart Bears program 25 years ago, she never dreamed it would grow so big.

While working for Bellsouth, Bentley became involved with the Telephone Pioneers of America , a voluntary community service organization of current and retired telephone employees. She attended a convention of the group, saw the Smart Bears and decided to start a program in the Greensboro community.

About 12 inches long, Smart Bears are stuffed bears made from donated material that is lovingly cut and sewn by volunteers and include a book bag and book. The bears are presented to local kindergartners during a 30-minute program about the importance of reading.

"I love to read, and we heard about so many children having trouble with reading, so we decided we wanted to help," Bentley said.

Bentley started by presenting the program at her daughter's school. As word spread, the program grew.

"We started small, but now we make about 5,000 of the bears a year," said Bentley, who retired in 1991.

Now called the Retired Telephone Volunteers , Bentley's group includes only about 10 women, but they each devote hours of their time cutting patterns, sewing, stuffing, searching for books and presenting the bears.

"It just makes me feel good when I see those young'uns take the bears and get excited about reading," said volunteer Grace Kivett.

The group distributes the bears to schools in Guilford, Rockingham, Alamance and Randolph counties, as well as some Virginia schools. They present the program once or twice a week throughout the school year.

Most of the material, stuffing and books is donated. Several members of the group spent two hot, stuffy afternoons recently rummaging through boxes of books at the Hospice of Alamance-Caswell Flee Market looking for some to include with the bears.

Sallie Shelton, 78 , does most of the sewing for the bears at a small bar leading into her kitchen. Shelton sewed for Blue Bell for 32 years and got involved with the bears after attending a Telephone Pioneers meeting with her daughter, who retired from BellSouth several years ago. She has been helping with the bears for about 12 years.

"My favorite part is cutting them out," she said. "I do it while I'm watching Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy."

Shelton often makes up to 200 bears a week.

"It gives me something to do, and I love to read and love to tell others about reading," she said. Shelton often accompanies the group when they make a presentation at a school.

"I tell the kids they can travel the world over without ever leaving their house if they read," she said. "I just hope it keeps them in school and teaches them to learn to love reading."

Bentley said the group is low on material and supplies, but they hope to be able to continue the program for as long as possible.

"If through this effort, one child is encouraged to read, then it's all worth it," she said.

Contact Jennifer Atkins Brown at 574-5582 or jennifer.brown@news-record.com.