Goodwill Surpasses Goal of 300 Teddy Bears Thanks to Community Support

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nov. 6, 2013 - PRLog -- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. sends a big thank you to local businesses and individuals who participated in the 2013 Teddy Bear Drives, as part of the preparation for the seventh annual Festival of Trees. The organization is collecting the bears for the Very Beary Christmas Tree, a tree that has been a part of the Festival since its inception and, ultimately, goes to the children’s hospital.

Goodwill had hoped to collect 300 bears by November 1 but, far surpassed that number, bringing in over 500 teddy bears.

“We can’t believe how many bears we’ve received,” says Madison Mitchell, spokeswoman for Goodwill. “The bear tree is such a special part of the Festival. The outpouring of support from individuals and businesses in our community has been spectacular.”

Made up of bears donated by the community, the tree is one of 26 beautifully decorated trees that is auctioned off at the Festival’s signature event, the Tux & Trees Gala, on December 7.  Auction guests gather around this special tree to raise money for The Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation.  The tree is then traditionally donated to the children’s hospital.

“Some companies donated 175 bears,” says Mitchell. “Some people walked into Goodwill’s headquarters with a bear they thought a child would love. Every bear counts. That’s how we made our goal.”

Bears came from ArtFest, Cape Coral High School’s Interact Club, CarMax-Naples, Costco (Cypress Lake/US 41), D&D Air Conditioning & Heating, Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, Fort Myers Vet Center, GMA Architects, Goodwill Boutique on First, Imaginarium Science Center, Kelly Road Self Storage, Life Counseling, Myerlee Gardens Craft Club, Neptune Society, PennyWigglsworth.com, Puddy n Pearl, Rnells Tuxedos, Safety, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, SunTrust, TDM Consulting, Inc., The Safety Lady, Ken Bodenhamer, Charissa Comerota, Robin Cremeens, Joanne Durbin, Jay Griswald, Phylis Hersh, Alison and Durward Hussey, Dwayne Lee, Patti Maier, Peter Marinell, Ann Marshal, Pam Nuhlman, Cheryl Powell, Todd Ryan, Peggy Schneider, John and Ellen Shepard, Richard and Alberta Supalo, Judith Yvecik, and many, many others who contributed at drop-off locations, anonymously, or at Teddy Bear Happy Hour!

The Festival of Trees opens November 29 at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center (2301 First Street). For more information on the Festival of Trees and Tux & Trees Gala visit www.tuxandtrees.com .

Last year’s Festival and Gala raised $93,000 to support the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation, which provides long-term financial support to programs and services of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.  In 2012, Goodwill helped 30,000 Southwest Floridians with disabilities and other disadvantages become more independent.