Harbor Police Invite Public to Donate Teddy Bears for the Holidays

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

It began in December 1990, when Coronado Police Officer Brian Hardy contributed just 12 Teddy Bears to a nearly empty donation bin at Rady Children's Hospital.

Now in its 20th year, the annual San Diego Law Enforcement Teddy Bear Drive has grown to 60,000 stuffed animals. For this milestone year, organizers are hoping to collect 100,000 stuffed animals, which will be donated to Rady Children's Hospital.

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"This is my sixth year being a part of the Teddy Bear Drive," said Harbor Police officer Christine Sperry. "Our hopes are to provide every child who enters the hospital throughout the year with a stuffed animal to help aid them in the recovery process."

On Tuesday, November 30, 2010 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the public is invited to enjoy a free meal from participating Chick-fil-A restaurants in exchange for donating a new teddy bear, with the tags attached.

There are five participating Chick-fil-A restaurants in the cities of Oceanside, Chula Vista, Mira Mesa, San Marcos, and San Diego.

• Chick-fil-A Sports Arena
  3570 Sports Arena Boulevard
  San Diego, CA 92110
• Chick-fil-A Quarry Creek
  3475 Marron Road
  Oceanside, CA 92056
• Chick-fil-A Eastlake Terraces
  2089 Olympic Parkway
  Chula Vista, CA 91915

• Chick-fil-A Mira Mesa
  10750 Camino Ruiz
  San Diego, CA 92126
• Chick-fil-A San Marcos
  587 Grand Avenue
  San Marcos, CA 92078

Officers with the Harbor Police, Coronado Police and San Diego Police departments will be greeting the public, and have activities and donation bins at the restaurant next to the Sports Arena, located at 3570 Sports Arena Blvd (map).

One of the Port of San Diego's member cities, Coronado, is the host agency for this year's drive.

The drive originated in 1990 with one act of kindness from Officer Hardy. His job brought him to Rady's Children's Hospital and his generosity has in turn brought happiness to thousands.

The drive's mascot, Angela Bear, was selected about 15 years ago when a Navy man went to place a bear in a donation bin to the hospital, but suddenly hesitated.

He turned to Officer Hardy unveiling the story of how he had bought this bear as a Christmas gift for his daughter, Angela. Hardy replied that he should hold on to it and give it to her on that special day. The Navy man then said that his daughter, Angela, had died a week earlier of Leukemia.

Angela Bear is still displayed at the Coronado Police Department, along with a picture of Angela Montgomery.

At 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, December 14, police officers will fill their patrol cars with stuffed animals and caravan from the USS Midway along North Harbor Drive with sirens blasting and lights flashing to Rady Children's Hospital in Kearny Mesa to deliver the donations.

Donations can be dropped off at the San Diego Harbor Police Headquarters (map) in the main lobby. For more information on origin, locations, and donations visit the San Diego Regional Teddy Bear Drive website.

Teddy bears can also be dropped off at the following locations:

• Fun Bike Center
  5755 Kearny Villa Road
  San Diego, CA 92123
• The Wave Cafe
  809 Seacoast Drive
  Imperial Beach, CA 91932
• Grab & Go Subs
  5150 Murphy Canyon Road
  San Diego, CA 92123
• Grab & Go Subs
  109 West C Street
  San Diego, CA 92101
• Grab & Go Subs
  6435 Mission Gorge Road
  San Diego, CA 92120

• Grab & Go Subs
  7701 Convoy Court, Suite A
  San Diego, CA 92111
• Grab & Go Subs
  2102 India Street
  San Diego, CA 92101
• Grab & Go Subs
  1180 Sixth Avenue
  San Diego, CA 92101
• Grab & Go Subs
  600 West Broadway
  San Diego, CA 92101
• Rady Children's Hospital
  3020 Children's Way
  San Diego, CA 92123