The bears are once again in the air. South Bend International Airport Director Mike Daigle tells us the 2022 Bears in the Air campaign launched Tuesday with the first donations of funds and Teddy bears received at the airport. Each December, Daigle says the airport collects Teddy bears to be given to kids in Indiana and southwest Michigan hospitals.
“The South Bend International Airport team donates their time to help put this event together, and so they get to go on the bear deliveries,” Daigle said. “We always try to find one child to get a bear form one of our team members, and it’s always awesome to see the results, sometimes from the parents who are in the room when their child gets something they weren’t expecting, with the feeling that somebody cares about their child.”
Daigle says the generosity of the community always strikes him.
“It is very awesome to see where people care about others in their community with their generosity to help others who they don’t even know.”
Bears in the Air has donated more than 15,000 bears to kids in need of comfort since launching 11 years ago. The campaign also collects money for the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center in South Bend. Daigle says the campaign has donated more than $76,000 to the center thus far, contributing to work on the HVAC system and kitchen. The official kick-off party for this year’s campaign is Friday at the airport. Anyone can donate money or Teddy bears between now and December 16.
