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Barbie togs find a home Advocacy center accepts doll clothes Dunn House rejected A great-grandmother's gift of hand-sewn Barbie clothes will reach area children after all, despite rejection by officials of a women's shelter who believe the doll contributes to causes of domestic abuse. The Children's Advocacy Center of Medford will distribute most of the 300 Barbie outfits handmade by 77-year-old Armella Wharton. "We'll share the clothes with our families and with other agencies at Christmas time," said Christina Hill, intake coordinator at the center that serves sexually abused kids. "As long as it's going to a child, that's the important thing." Wharton, a grandmother to 14 and great-grandmother to six, said she was pleased to find a home for the tiny beaded and sequined clothes she made from fabric scraps. "I had no idea I was going to open a can of worms," said Wharton, whose story moved Thursday on national news wires. "This might relax their views about Barbie dolls. This is 1999." Wharton's donation of Barbie dolls, clothes and accessories was turned down by Dunn House, Jackson County's shelter for abused women and children. Staff members contended that the fashion doll portrays women as sex objects. They prefer that children at the shelter play with toys such as stuffed animals and soft-bodied dolls, said Maggie Jones, director of victim services for the shelter. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA