Charlona Sawyer of Creative Advertising Solutions, Debbie Cunningham of CGI Financial and Jim Haddon of Burley Funeral Chapel joined forces to donate $275 toward the shipping costs for Operation TeddyCare to send 300 teddy bears to children whose parents were being deployed to Afghanistan.

Operation TeddyCare originally started collecting teddy bears after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in Kobe, Japan in 1995.

The free bear giveaway continued after the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy, and people have since continued to send teddy bears for kids throughout the world.

Close to 80,000 teddies (and other “critters”) have been shipped to hospitals, social service agencies and trauma personnel during the 15 years that Operation TeddyCare has been operating.

Today, Operation TeddyCare accepts and distributes free teddy bears or toys every day to any family, qualified counselors, medical professionals, rescue, military support or law enforcement personnel.

For more information, visit www.teddycare.coastside.net or call Barbara Moran or Bob Baker at 341-2917.