Dear Brother and Sister Officers,
It is my pleasure to report to you that our Eighth Annual Teddy Bear Drive was a great success. This year we are proud to have collected over 1,350 bears for hospitalized and less fortunate children in the communities that we serve. This brings our eight year total to over 7,750 bears.
On December 15th and 20th, 2011 our bears were distributed to the following Hospitals and organizations:
Winthrop Cancer Center for Kids
Winthrop University Hospital
The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island
North Shore LIJ at Franklin General Hospital
The Interfaith Nutrition Network
Special thanks to our team leaders who helped co-ordinate this project and spread the good cheer to children throughout the New York area. I would like to acknowledge S.C.O. Nancy Puglise who co-ordinated the effort in Nassau, C.O.s Christine Petitto and Christina Gordon who ran the Queens Family toy drive and also S.C.O. Tom Quinn who ran the Queens Criminal Supreme project. I would also like to recognize our first corporate sponsor “ Old Navy” who helped collect Teddy Bears at their stores. Finally this project was aided by the success of the FOCO Holiday Raffle which provided the funds that enabled us to help Sgt. Tom Jones raise money for the Blythdale Children’s Hospital in Westchester and Capt. Denise Zeitler who runs the “Little Flower” project in Suffolk.
Like to run a FOCO Teddy Bear or Toy Drive in your command or JD, we will help with how to ideas and support, all you have to do is step forward and lead the project, the holidays will be here before you know it.
Joseph Cannella
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