(L-R, back row): Matthew Lutz, Cole Grenier, First National Bank & Trust; Jennifer Witte, Tara Blagec, Salvation Army Dickinson County; Jeremy Hauswirth, Michigan State Police; Adam Ray, Iron Mountain Police Department; Geno Basanese, Michigan State Police; Jake Hogberg, First National Bank & Trust.
(L-R, front row): Leila Canavera, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office Victim Services Unit; Ashley Scharf, Air MedCare Network/Guardian Flight; Karla Lehmann, Caring House & Caring House Child Advocacy Center.
First National Bank & Trust’s Project Teddy Bear program committee is pleased to announce they were able to collect and donate a total of 370 new stuffed toys to local emergency responders, crisis centers, children’s organizations and medical facilities. Since Project Teddy Bear’s inception in 2017, donations have been collected each year from the annual Flivver Hockey Teddy Bear Toss event, followed by continued collecting throughout December.
“Speaking to our local emergency responders and hearing their touching stories about the truly positive effects of giving a child a stuffed animal during an emergency situation reiterates why First National Bank & Trust created Project Teddy Bear,” said Matthew Lutz, First National Bank & Trust Chief Financial Officer. “That hit very close to home recently when I was in the Emergency Room with my three year old son and saw his face light up when he was handed a stuffed animal.”
Over the last four years, Project Teddy Bear has donated over 1,500 new stuffed toys. The Project Teddy Bear initiative is part of First National Bank & Trust’s ongoing dedication to supporting and strengthening our community.
