It’s time once again for the South Bend International Airport’s Bears in the Air campaign.
SBN Director Mike Daigle tells us the airport is now rallying supporters to help it purchase hundreds of Teddy bears to be given out to children in hospitals around Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan.
“This is the 13th year in South Bend that we’re doing this, and it’s been really amazing to see the generosity of our community who join us and then also contribute so that we are approximately 20,000 bears that we’ve given to children in five local area hospitals,” Daigle said.
That includes Corewell Health South in St. Joseph. Daigle says the bears help make a child’s scary stay in a hospital a little less so.
The community always comes out to help the Bears in the Air effort.
“Just the ability to make where we live a better place, one child at a time, one person at a time, it’s really very awe-inspiring to look at that and just helps make our community, where we live, a better place.”
The kickoff for Bears in the Air will be Tuesday, December 3 at 10 a.m. However, Daigle says the big event to support Bears in the Air will be this Friday at 6 p.m. with the annual gala. That’s a fancy shindig that will feature small plates, one free drink from the cash bar, music, and door prizes including airline tickets. It’s $35 to get in and everyone’s invited.
You can also make a donation to Bears in the Air right here.
Bears in the Air each year also makes a donation to the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center in South Bend.
