Saint Leo ‘recruiting’ Teddy Bears for TPD through December 13
As a project of the Tampa Education Center, Saint Leo is once again helping the Tampa Police Department this holiday season. Teddy Bears for TPD will provide cuddly critters for officers to carry in their vehicles in order to provide comfort to children in stressful situations.
Saint Leo University’s Tampa Education Center will partner with the TPD to put together a “comfort squad” of stuffed animals. Officers will provide these furry friends to children at crime scenes, in times of crisis, trauma, and other scary situations.
The university community is helping with this effort and the Student Government Union, the Office of Greek Life and Community Service, and the East Pasco Education Center are assisting. Donations of new and gently used teddy bears and other stuffed animals will be collected in donation boxes now through December 13. All items will be donated to the Tampa Police Department. Last year, nearly 250 stuffed animals were donated by Saint Leo students, faculty, staff, and the public. Three Tampa-area TV stations covered the distribution of the “stuffies” to members of the Tampa Police Department.
This year, teddy bears and plush animals may be dropped off in donation boxes (look for the Teddy Bears for TPD signs) at the following:
- Dining Hall lobby in the Student Community Center;
- Student Activities Building;
- Saint Edward Hall lobby (East Pasco Education Center);
- Benedictine Hall lobby; and,
- Tampa Education Center, 1403 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33607. Donations will be accepted 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“We want interactions with the police to be positive for children, even if it’s a scary situation,” said Rod Kirkwood, director of Saint Leo University’s Tampa Education Center. “These donations will allow the police officers to provide something soft for the children to hold during a hard or difficult time.”
For more information, contact Rod Kirkwood at rod.kirkwood@saintleo.edu or (813) 226-2777.
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