KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Thousands of stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes, designs and colors are being distributed to area police and fire agencies and will be given a place in their equipment racks, along with the emergency medical gear, the assault rifles, the Naloxone pens and the communications gear.
The bears, the beanie babies and the stuffed animals were all donated by the residents of Kalamazoo to become part of the Teddy Bear Posse. It’s a program to make sure that an emergency responder has a way of easing the concerns and fear of a child caught in a dramatic or traumatic situation.
“That is something that responders are trying to at every scene and so when the children get these toys, we see their comfort level greatly improved. It’s a huge huge thing to do for these children and the community has made it all possible,” Kalamazoo County Sheriff Rick Fuller said.
He said it’s “an outpouring of love that you aren’t going to see everywhere.”
Police, fire and ambulances pulled up in a steady stream at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center on Wednesday morning to pick up their allocation of stuffed animals.
Fuller said so many bears were collected that they will be able to provide bears to all of the departments regionally and have a number in reserve to replenish supplies later on.
Fuller thanks the community for all their help and donations.
