We are pleased to announce that our Fifth Annual Teddy Bear Drive was the most successful drive to date, collecting 902 stuffed animals.  This year's collection brought our five year total to over 3,800 delivered to hospitalized and less fortunate children in the communities that we serve.

For 2008, the collection period was from November 28th through December 16th. Displays were set up in several Commands, adding to the holiday spirit of giving and enabling us to increase our donations from those outside the courthouse community. Our member volunteers delivered the bears to the following locations on December 17^th & 18th, 2008:

Winthrop University Hospital    Winthrop Pediatric Oncology Ward

Franklin General Hospital L.I.J.    Nassau University Medical Center

Schneider Children's Hospital      Ronald McDonald House

The Interfaith Nutrition Network      St Ann's Outreach, Brentwood

We would like to take this time to thank all those from the courthouse community who donated a teddy bear to help make this project a great success. We are very pleased that this was our best drive to date, especially in light of the current economic downturn.  

We proudly welcome the following to our Teddy Bear Collection Partnership:

*Our Lady of Lourdes School in New Hyde Park, where Katie Riveiro, daughter of F.O.C.O.’s Charity Coordinator C.O. Mike Riveiro, organized her second drive and collected 152 bears.

*Locust Valley High School, where Ms. Doreen Kobus' J.V. and Varsity Cheerleaders collected 50 bears.

*And special thanks to Bari Mirotznik, a 13 year old [see Newsday article] who donated 120 white teddy bears that she purchased with her bat mitzvah money, to say thanks for the bear she received from F.O.C.O. while at Winthrop Hospital last year.  We are happy to see that Bari is doing well and proud to see that she is extending the good deed to help other children.

Click here to read the NEWSDAY article on this great event!

On Thursday December 18th 2008, the Fraternal Order of Court Officers of New York State's Charity Coordinator Mike Riveiro, President Joe Cannella and member Robert Pickwick visited the Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead Village, Nassau County. They brought along a bunch of teddy bears for young visitors and a check for the non-profit organization in the amount of $750 to help keep their shelves stocked. The photo shows C.O. Riveiro, S.C.O. Cannella and S.C.O. Pickwick presenting F.O.C.O.'s check to Cynthia Sucich, Director of Communications at the Interfaith Nutrition Network.
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