Project Teddy Bear donates stuffed animals

IRON MOUNTAIN --First National Bank & Trust's Project Teddy Bear program collected nearly 400 new stuffed toys during the 2023 holiday season drive for donation to local emergency responders, crisis centers, children's organizations and medical facilities, the program's committee reported.

Since Project Teddy Bear's inception in 2017, donations have been collected each year from the annual Flivver Hockey Teddy Bear Toss event, followed by continued collecting throughout December.

The program makes donations for both Christmas period and again in January for the responders to use the toys year-round in emergency and/or medical situations.

Before Christmas, donations were made to Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, Caring House and Caring House Child Advocacy Center, Dickinson County Salvation Army, Toys for Tots and Integrity Care EMS.

The Jan. 12 donations included Michigan State Police, Iron Mountain Police and Fire Departments, as well as additional donations to the Caring House and Caring House Child Advocacy Center, Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson and Integrity Care EMS.

"Speaking to our local emergency responders and hearing their touching stories about the truly positive effects of giving a child a stuffed animal during an emergency situation reiterates why First National Bank and Trust created Project Teddy Bear," said Matthew Lutz, First National Bank & Trust chief financial officer. "That hit very close to home when I was in the emergency department with my son and saw his face light up when he was handed a stuffed animal."

Over the past six years, Project Teddy Bear has donated nearly 2,500 new stuffed toys. The Project Teddy Bear initiative is part of First National's ongoing dedication to supporting and strengthening the community.