Here is your chance to get "Together"

Do you have a group of friends that get together to work on or discuss Teddy Bear related topics?  Are you a member of a local "hug", a Good Bears of the World den, a bear making club or just a group of bear collecting friends?

Send an E-mail to our Publisher with your club information and we will add it to the list below. 

Club information will give other "Arctophiles" the opportunity to join in on the fun too.

Check back often and see how our club-hugs continue to grow!

Good Bears of The World

Brown bears are given to those in need of a hug. You can purchase bears to love and to give too.

Look for exhibit tables at leading teddy bear shows where you can purchase GBW bears.

Introducing 'Ruby' the newest bear to the Good Bears of the World collection.

Ruby, red bear, first made her appearance at the gifting in Chelsea, MI on November 15, 2008

Ruby was placed on the Christmas tree near the entrance of the Chelsea toy museum.

"She making an impression!" said chairbear Terrie Stong.

Good Bears of the World (GBW) is a non profit 501(c)3 organization which provides teddy bears to children and adults, where love, solace, and comfort can make a difference. We give out teddies to victims of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other trauma situations in the United States and abroad.

GBW was founded in England in 1969 by the late journalist and radio pioneer, James Theodore Ownby. Headquarters were located in Mr. Ownby’s radio station, KNDI, in Honolulu, Hawaii until 1991 when they were relocated to Toledo, Ohio.

The purpose of GBW is to spread love and caring to children and the elderly. GBW was the first group to donate teddy bears to police departments in the early 80’s. This program has gained tremendous popularity in the last few decades.

Please help us to provide cuddly teddy bears by sending your donation to:

GBW —  P. O. Box 13097

Toledo, OH 43613-0097

 www.goodbearsoftheworld.org

Shown to the left is BEAR TRACKS; a quarterly publication that features articles about Good Bears of the World and their generous contributors along with heart warming stories about the magic of teddy bears.

Waldorf, a Good Bears of the World supporter big bear, danced and charmed everyone at the Spring Schaumburg Teddy Bear Show.

His two 'girl friends' (Valerie Rogers and Terry Stong) enjoyed the big hug.

See Waldorf dancing at the Spring Schaumburg Teddy Bear Show on April 25, 2010 along with the show review.

See Waldorf on YouTube.com

Jake takes a splash with Terrie Stong, GBW Chairbear, while on his travels, stopping in Florida for a little water sports.

"He did not like the water and he said swimming was for humans and Labradors -- which definitely excluded him!" said Terrie.

Jake is traveling around collecting souvenirs and lapel pins. He will be auctioned off in the Fall and proceeds will benefit Good Bears of the World.

The Kingwood Heartbeat Bears

An activity group of Kingwood Hi Neighbor was founded in 1990. It became a den of Good Bears of the World International, a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to providing teddy bears to children of all ages who are hurt, sick, lonely or just need something to hug.

Kingwood Heartbeat Bears provides 500 bears to Kingwood Medical Center, Memorial Northeast Medical Center and Texas Children’s Hospital. Bears are also provided to The Blue Star Moms, The Humble Nursing Home and Westminster House of Kingwood. This year 2,000 bears were given, providing many hugs to brighten someone’s day.

The only source of income is from private donations and from various fund raising projects.

Your generous donations to Good Bears of the World help buy more bears to give to those in need of a teddy bear hug!

We are the non human members of GBW (above). Our motto is: "We put the 'F-U-N' in fund raising."  There are well over 100 members; Teddy Bears, dogs, cats, stuffed animals of every variety, and even a pair of children's boots! (That's another story).  The Booster Club started in the 1990s in memory of bear artist Barbara Troxel and is $5 for lifetime membership.   

We have sent 250 bears to orphans in Russia, 2 cases of bears to Boystown New Orleans victims of Katrina, bears to migrant children in China, bears to poor children in the mountains of Mexico, in addition to giftings to police, fire, hospitals, etc. 

Our big fundraiser this year was a Booster Cookbook (left photo) which featured scrapbook styled recipe pages from many of our members and boasted a fabric cover made by bear artist, Marji Bebiak. The cookbook sold for $500 at the San Jose Show and copies are available in black and white. 

Next year's project is a Teddy Bear (by Marji Bebiak) sporting a coat with pockets.  He will carry Artist Trading Cards from our Booster Members.

We will also be featuring some other fundraising projects to honor GBW's 40th Anniversary. 

If you'd like anymore photos or info, just write me.

Hugs from the Booster Spokesbear

Pat Snyder

A special highlight of the show happened when an area elementary teacher introduced herself to the GBW staff and explained about the STARS program her school district is participating in. STAR students are ‘students targeted for achievement, recognition and success” These at-risk students need extra help and encouragement for academic success. When this caring teacher, also an aspiring bear artist, confided how much the students loved the bears she made and brought to school, our idea was born. The GBW staff delighted in giving 16 teddies, one for each of her students, and helping with her program.

We hope the bears will inspire these students and also give them a glimpse at the love and caring we share in our teddy bear industry.
Terrie Stong
Chairbear Good Bears of the World.

Bay Area Bears  San Jose mshugebear@aol.com

Bear-Cal  Thousand Oaks 805-495-5964

Bear With Us Fresno 559-261-1975

Mountain Bear Fan Club Fresno 559-226-9027

Santa Bar-Bear-A-Den Santa Barbara

805-967-3843

Slo Bear Den San Luis Obispo 805-544-6711

Sunshine Bear Den bear1jp@aol.com

Ye Old Bear Den

phammock@bellsouth.net

Rocky Mountain Den AlSFEWEST@aol.com

Bear Hugs of Chicagoland
Woodstock IL

815-334-0718

Bear Magic in Lake County
Liberyville, IL

847-367-0087

Disorderly Bear Den Fort Wayne & Columbia City. tdbear7@comcast.net

Bear Buddies of Indiana whitney.porter@delphi.com

Oz-Some Bear Den
Salina, KS - rjhager@cox.net

Mo-Kan Teddy Bear Society. We are located in the Kansas City metro area. We meet once a month and new members are welcome.

Pat Hackling pghgvmo1@kc.rr.com 

Max Lighty, President maxbearpals@aol.com

Missouri

Bear Heart Den, Belton, MO bentbears@aol.com

Show Me Bear Club St Louis geoart1@swbell.net

Doug Club of Union County Den Cranford

908-276-8923

Beary Good Friends Den Columbus

beary.good.friends@earthlink.net

Toledo Ohio Den goodbears@eamil.com

Northwest Club Ted  Seattle 206-721-0119

Kingwood Heartbeat Bear Den

Melissa PokenoGal@aol.com

Giving Paws Den Arlington 703-841-2444

Friendly Paws Den Waunakee 608-849-9703

Somethin's Bruin Muskego 262-679-2983

Your generous donations to Good Bears of the World help buy more bears to give to those in need of a teddy bear hug!

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