The Teddy Bear Picnic will return as an in-person event this Sunday after a 5-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
"I'm pumped, anxious, excited, happy, all those words," says Stefano Grande, the President and CEO of The Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. "We're totally pumped as our Teddy Bear Picnic is coming out of hibernation."
Family and friends are invited to bring their teddy bears, and lawn chairs or blankets, to the Assiniboine Park this Sunday, September 8 for the 35th annual Teddy Bear Picnic.
"There's a lot of fun things for the kids to do," says Grande. "From entertainment to our Dr. Good Bear tent, which is a very important part of our event this year. It's a place where we encourage the kids to bring their stuffies and ensure their teddy bear has their annual checkup."
Doctors, nurses, and other medical staff will also be at the event, interacting with the kids.
"These are the people on the frontline of our hospital that are here to take care of us, so we want to demystify that experience for kids."
The event is free and runs from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
"Over the last five years, we've raised over $75 million and we've been able to put this to work. We want to show our community how your donations and philanthropy can help transform and improve healthcare for our kids throughout the province. It's a great way for our hospital to let them know we're here and we care about you."