Izzy Doll

knitting yarn, quilt batting, 15.8 x 10.0 x 5.0 cm, 2015

Over a million Izzy Dolls have been distributed by Canadian Forces personnel and veterans in parts of the world where armed conflicts or natural disasters have made life very difficult for children. Named after a Canadian soldier, Master Corporal Mark Isfeld (nicknamed Izzy), the first dolls were made by his mother, Carol, for distribution to Croatian children. After Mark died on June 14, 1994 while working to clear Croatia of land mines, the Canadian Combat Engineers continued his initiative as a tribute to Mark’s memory. From those first few knitted dolls that were made to fit in Mark’s combat-pants pockets, the idea has expanded, and today many volunteers continue to make and distribute Izzy Dolls.