Beary Special Backpacks

On behalf of our wounded soldiers at Landstuhl hospital, Soldiers' Angels would like to thank soft toy manufacturer Gund for their very generous donation of MANY, MANY teddy bears.



Soldiers' Angel George approached Gund back in June to ask if they would consider providing teddy bears for our transitional backpacks, and they agreed. I wanted to thank the Gund executive who authorized the donation by name, but he has told me the company name is enough.

I didn't know this, but Gund is not only the leading teddy bear manufacturer in the U.S., it is also the oldest. These teddy bears have found their way back to the homeland of the company's founder - German immigrant Adolph Gund - who started the company in Norwalk, Connecticut in 1898.

Savannah gives one of the "World's Most Huggable" teddy bears a hug...

...before big sister Sabrina puts them in the backpacks. Mom DrueAnna is in the background.

A teddy bear may seem like a childish gift for a soldier. But its therapeutic value cannot be underestimated. A wounded Soldier to whom I gave one of these bears laughed - for what I was later told was the first time in six weeks.

Thank you Gund, George, and all who care about our wounded soldiers in Germany.