Bears on Board

September 18, 2005 in Worcester's Elm Park from 3:00 - 5:00p

Thank you for making the Bears on Board Fifth Annual Teddy Bear Picnic a success!  Pooh, Sunshine, and Luv-a-lot drew quite a crowd of children and adults who enjoyed the balloon animals and face painting. Entertainment was provided by the magician Eddie Raymond whose humor and magic awed the crowd.

The free event is designed to help bring awareness to the program and to collect donations of NEW teddy bears. Through the generosity of the local communities and our corporate sponsors, over 200 Teddy Bears were collected plus donations to purchase many more bears. All bears will go to the Bears on Board program.

Mid-State Insurance Agency, Inc. is proud to sponsor the local Bears on Board program for Bears on Board Inc.  The Bears on Board program is designed to try to alleviate some of the trauma a child experiences during an emergency situation.  This program is modeled after the Attleboro Area Council for Children's Bears on Board program which began in 1990.  New Teddy Bears, up to 12" in length, are placed in plastic bags and placed into police and fire rescue vehicles.  When police officers, firefighters or rescue personnel are called out on cases involving children they are able to reduce the trauma to the children they are assisting by giving them a teddy bear.

The bears have been helpful in many situations from comforting a young girl whose mother was arrested to putting smiles on the faces of young cancer patients at the UMass Medical Cancer Ward.  A police lieutenant told the story of a mother with four young children who showed up at the police department with nothing but the clothes on their back.  They were running from an abusive husband.  While getting the family into a safe house, the police officer gave each of the children a teddy bear.  The officer said, "I wish you could see the faces of the children.  It's a good thing you're doing."

Bears on Board Inc.  holds annual drives in December to collect teddy bears for the Charlton, Spencer, and Worcester Police, Fire and Rescue Departments, the Southbridge Police, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Department of Social Services.  Donations may be dropped off at any of the Mid-State Insurance Agency locations.

Special thanks to our corporate sponsors.

Safety Insurance
Harleysville Insurance
Banknorth
Clinton Savings Bank
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Employees of MAIA
Webster Five Cent Savings Bank
Curves of Spencer

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