The First National Bank & Trust’s Project Teddy Bear program made donations in January. In the upper photo, from left, in front are Vanessa Bal of the Caring House and Barbara Cromell of First National Bank & Trust; in back are Matthew Lutz and Cole Grenier of First National Bank & Trust, Sgt. Adam Ray of the Iron Mountain Police Department, Jake Hogberg of First National Bank & Trust, and Michigan State Police Community Service Trooper Geno Basanese. In the lower photo, from left are Barbara Cromell, Cole Grenier and Sheyenne Sullivan, First National Bank & Trust; Jaimee Rogers with son Braxton, Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson; and Jake Hogberg, First National Bank & Trust.

IRON MOUNTAIN — The First National Bank & Trust’s Project Teddy Bear’s 2022 holiday season drive collected more than 500 new stuffed toys for donation to local emergency responders, crisis centers, children’s organizations and medical facilities, the program committee announced.

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 Christmastime use and again in January for the responders using the toys year-round.

Before Christmas, donations were made to the U.P. Foster Closet of Dickinson County, Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, Caring House and Salvation Army Dickinson County.

The January donations included Michigan State Police, Iron Mountain Police and Fire Departments, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office Victim Service’s Unit, Integrity Care EMS, as well as additional donations to the Caring House, U.P. Foster Closet of Dickinson County and Marshfield Medical Center- Dickinson.

“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 & Trust created Project Teddy Bear,” said Matthew Lutz, First National Bank & Trust chief financial officer. “That hit very close to home recently 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 five years, Project Teddy Bear has collected more than 2,000 new stuffed toys for donating. The Project Teddy Bear initiative is part of First National Bank & Trust’s ongoing dedication to supporting and strengthening the community.