HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - A local puppeteer that has helped children prevent abuse, has recently passed away after serving the Hampton Roads community for over 30 years.
Regina Marscheider died at the age of 76 after having a stroke. The Virginian-Pilot reports, emergency surgery followed, but she was unable to recover.
News 3 presented Marscheider with a People Taking Action Award in 2012 for her work in the community as the founder of Spectrum Puppets.
"The mission of Spectrum Puppets, is to bring joy and happiness and entertainment to children and their families," Marscheider told News 3's Kurt Williams at a rehearsal in 2012.
She had also created a special program using puppets to teach children how to recognize and prevent child abuse. The program "Simon Says Just Tell" has been performed to hundreds of thousands of children throughout the United Sates and Canada, the Spectrum Puppets website states.
Marscheider told News 3 previously that her program helped put over 100 child molesters into prison and has helped thousands of children to prevent abuse because the puppets taught them how to look for signs and how to tell.
Her work did not go unnoticed in the community which led News 3 to present her with the award.
Marscheider's family tells the Pilot they plan to carry on her legacy.
Watch the "Simon Says Just Tell" performance below:
People Taking Action: Regina Marscheider, founder of Spectrum Puppets
