The Bonding Bears Program

During the 2008-2009 school year, we expanded Bonding Bears Program to our after school program. Students are authoring/illustrating children’s stories to read to the recipients of the bears and back packs. Students are learning skills that will impact their lives forever. We are teaching solicitation skills; marketing skills; social skills, presentation skills. We have introduced Sassy, the service dog this year. Sassy will accompany us on our visits and our students are learning all about service animals. I create a Bonding Bear video every year as a marketing tool. I created a special one just for the after school program. It was received with rave reviews. The students are just about ready to publish their stories and are embarking upon the solicitation stage of the project. We are looking forward to a Bonding Bears rally to launch the project in early January, 2009. Bonding Bears is growing every year, I am happy to report. Based on the feedback in articles, newsletters, phone calls and emails from administrators and recipients, our visits and contributions made a huge impact on the children and the families. I am committed to making a difference in my community, even if it is “one teddy bear at a time”.