The Rotary Club Timmins-Porcupine is going to be at the Timmins Fall Fair, stuffing an ambulance with teddy bears and assorted stuffies.
Teddy bear project chair Samantha Genier says last time Rotarians did that at the fair two years ago, it resulted in 1,048 gently loved toys being donated.
“There’s always ones hanging around that, you know, your kids have outgrown, or that you’ve been hanging on to for a long time,” says Genier. “There’s other kids and seniors who would love to have them and love as much as you did.”
Once they’re laundered, the used stuffies are given to police and paramedics, who find them valuable when dealing with a child or senior during a stressful incident. Those are only two places they go to.
“We’ve been giving them to some of the schools for their special needs classes,” Genier notesl “as well as hockey programs and skating programs for the little ones. The coaches use them on the ice as well, and it encourages them to skate and have fun.”
Here is audio of our interview, and a list of year-round drop-off points.
YEAR-ROUND TEDDY BEAR DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Country 93.1, 250 Third Ave.
NFP Insurance, 1427 Riverside Dr.
Western Auto Sales, 302 Algonquin Blvd. W.
RBC, 101 Mall
