Teddy Bear Donation Can Be Lesson In Giving
DENVER (CBS4) – CBS4 is partnered with Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children and KOSI 101.1 to collect new stuffed animals for the Teddy Bear Patrol. The animals are given to paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and hospital staff, who then use them to comfort children who are facing any sort of emergency situation.
"There was this really big Teddy bear my brother…um..my brother picked to donate," 4 1/2-year-old Owen described the stuffed animals that he, his two brothers, and two cousins picked out to donate to the Teddy Bear Patrol.
"It brought a smile to my face, so I was happy that my brother was going to give it to someone else to put a smile on their face," said 9-year-old Cole.
7-year-old Reed picked out the bear, but was too shy to tell us about it. Julie Draper, or "Grams" as her grandsons call her, works at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center as a Medical Technologist. When she heard about the collection for Teddy Bear Patrol, she knew she wanted to support the cause.
"I just couldn't help but think of my own 5 grandsons, and what it would be like for them if they were in an emergency situation or accident…being able to be given comfort from a Teddy bear that was given to them from the emergency staff," Draper told CBS4.
Grand Dad, Kevin Draper, took the boys shopping. Each got a stuffed animal to donate, and each got one to keep.
"It allowed them to donate a bear, but also to have a bear at home so that they could think about that child and pray for that child that may be receiving that bear that they did donate," Julie explained.
It was a lesson in giving that wasn't lost on the boys.
"It would make someone feel safer if they were like nervous about what was going to happen," Cole told CBS4.
"A little later, our 7-year-old Tristen said, 'Grams, I put a lot of love in my bear before I put it in the bin.' And that to me just spoke so many words about truly the gift of giving," Julie said.
"I was excited to cheer people up," Tristan confirmed.
Stuffed animals filled with love and ready to cheer up other children, that is what Teddy Bear Patrol is all about.
You can help the Teddy Bear Patrol by dropping off a donation of a new stuffed animal at any participating HealthONE facility, click here for a list of those locations. Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children is also holding a family-friendly drive-up/drop-off event on Saturday, August 28th from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.