Teddy bears are known for their healing qualities—helping sick children in hospitals make it through scary times, often without their parents being able to be present.
They’re also good friends of law enforcement, using their friendly faces and soft cuddly bodies to help children in difficult situations. Many police and sheriff department officers make a habit of keeping teddy bears in the trunks of their cars just for that purpose – emergencies in which kids are in need of a friend.
Where do the teddies come from? Many hospitals receive their teddies from hospital foundations and charitable organizations who buy the bears for hospital staff to give to the children. But law enforcement departments often rely on donations of teddy bears from the community.
Such is the case in Fargo, North Dakota.
It’s the third year of their annual Teddy Bear Posse project, a project spearheaded by KFGO-Midwest Radio Fargo-Moorhead and Gate City Bank, Fargo, in which local companies band together to collect new stuffed animals, especially teddy bears. Corporate partners include all Gate City Banks throughout North Dakota, North Dakota Autism Center, Red Wing Shoes, Deek’s Pizza and, of course, KFGO.
The Fargo Teddy Bear Posse project is the brainchild of KFGO General Manager Dan Cash. To say he is enthusiastic is an understatement. He learned about Teddy Bear Posse projects when he attended a conference in Lansing, Michigan a few years ago. Lansing has supported a Teddy Bear Posse project since 2015, a project that has enjoyed the support of the community as well as local law enforcement. The project has been a huge success in Lansing, so Cash decided to try it out in Fargo.
The idea just took off, Cash recalls. The 2019 Teddy Bear Posse project kicked off on March 12th at the Gate City Bank in Fargo and will run until May 14th. The ceremony was attended by community leaders and first responders (see photo). Their goal this year is 4,000 teddy bears and other stuffed animals , a goal they expect to exceed.
Collection boxes are conveniently placed in sponsoring companies’ locations. Once the drive is over, the teddy bears and other animals are distributed to first responders throughout North Dakota, with a few even going into South Dakota and Minnesota.
Teddy bears have been valuable tools for law enforcement officers for a long time as they deal with a myriad of emergencies on a regular basis, often involving children. Teddies are friendly critters that help stabilize the child, calming them and helping them feel better in bad situations. The toy gives the child a sense of normalcy, something of their own to hold, something to distract them in the midst of chaos.
Are the law enforcement agencies in North Dakota fans of the Teddy Bear Posse project? The answer is a resounding yes.
Journalist Paul Jurgens tells the heart-warming story of one such instance in his March 12th article. A few years ago Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Jesse Grabow had worked a car crash that involved parents and their children, and had given each of the children a teddy bear. Sgt. Grabar told Jurgens how the parents had come up to him recently and told him their children still have the teddy bears that he had given to them after the crash.
Fargo is proud of their Teddy Bear Posse project, Cash says, as their donations prove. They care deeply about it, as do the law enforcement officers who receive the teddies.
Do teddies help first responders help the children they come in contact with? Definitely. And the town of Fargo is a living testament to their dedication to help their law enforcement officers.
Hooray for the teddy bear posse!
(photos courtesy of KFGO General Manager Dan Cash)
EXTRA! EXTRA! On May 14th, KFGO reported that not only had they met their goal of 4,000 teddy bears, but exceeded it by collecting over 5,700 stuffed teddies!