September 24, 2003

HELPING HANDS - The Dairy Queen in Amherst has donated $1,000 to help start a teddy bear fund to provide bears to children hospitalized in the Cumberland Health Care Centre. Pictured above from the left is DQ assistant manager Terry Bednarek, pediatrics manager Daria MacPherson, managing director of the hospital foundation Jodi Swan and store manager Carol Conrad. The store will collect funds to purchase more stuffed bears through collection jars and proceeds of casual days and special events.

Dairy Queen Aids Ailing Children With Launch Of Teddy Bear Fund - by Sandra Bales - Amherst Daily News
AMHERST - Thanks to the generosity of an area business, children who are patients at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre will have a special buddy to call their own.

Dairy Queen on Robert Angus Drive has set up a fund to purchase teddy bears for children at the local hospital. "This is an excellent initiative that will help to provide positive patient experiences while in hospital and as such is greatly appreciated," said VP of Patient Services, Cheryl Nothcott.

Teddy bears are a toy many children associate with security, comfort and non-judgmental friends. The cuddly toys have been used in many hospitals to help ease the fears of young patients as they undergo treatments or recuperate from an illness.

"Teddy bears are a wonderful way to get close to children, especially those who are a little fearful about being in the hospital," said Jodi Swan, managing director of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation. She was extremely pleased the local Dairy Queen chose to support the facility through a teddy bear fund.

"The involvement of the management and staff of Dairy Queen is greatly appreciated not only by the children who will receive the teddy bears but by the staff of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre as well," said Swan.

Gary Crowell, co-owner/operator of Dairy Queen was pleased the business could be involved with the local health care facility. "It is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in the community in another way and bring some pleasure to a child in the hospital," Crowell said.

Coin collection containers are set up beside the cash registers in the store and will be used to buy the cuddly toys. Once the child is discharged from the hospital, they will be able to take their new friend home with them.

With donations collected by the Dairy Queen and proceeds from their casual days, a display will be set up in the hospital so children can pick out a bear from the displayed selection. This isn't the first time Dairy Queen has gotten involved in helping children in the hospital. Nationally the chain supports the Children's Miracle Network with donations from the Maritime provinces going to the IWK in Halifax.

"We wanted to also do something locally and the teddy bear fund allows us to help the local hospital," explained Crowell.