Goodwill Still Collecting Teddy Bears

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Sept. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc., in conjunction with several local businesses, is still collecting teddy bears for its seventh annual Festival of Trees.

Goodwill hopes to collect 300 bears by November, in time for the start of the Festival of Trees on November 29 at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in the Fort Myers River District. They currently have just fewer than 100.

“The teddy bears are a huge part of Goodwill’s Festival of Trees,” says Madison Mitchell, spokesperson at Goodwill. “The bears make up the Very Beary Christmas tree, which is donated to the children’s hospital at the end of the Festival.”

Goodwill’s bear tree has been a staple of Goodwill’s annual Festival of Trees since the event’s inception in 2006. Made up from bears donated by the community, the tree is one of 25 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.

ArtFest Fort Myers, D&D Air Conditioning & Heating, GMA Architects and TDM Consulting, Goodwill Boutique on First, Imaginarium Science Center, Kelly Road Self Storage, Puddy n’ Pearl II, Rnells Tuxedos, and Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center are all hosting public teddy bear drives. Bears can also be dropped off at Goodwill administrative offices in North Fort Myers.

If you are interested in hosting a teddy bear drive, or have new bears that you would like to donate contact Madison Mitchell at (239)995-2106 ext. 2213 or email MadisonMitchell@goodwillswfl.org. 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.