Local Spotlight: Morristown Local 43 Bears Care
Morristown Local brings special gifts to kids and the community
During the holiday season, Morristown Local 43 partnered with Morristown Medical Center to organize a law enforcement visit at Goryeb Children’ s Hospital. For the second consecutive year, Sergeant Brian LaBarre put together a teddy bear giveaway for kids who are ill and in the hospital during the season that is usually the favorite time of the year for kids.
“ We visit the rooms, talk for a few minutes with the kids and just let them know that somebody is thinking about them over the holidays as they’ re stuck in the hospital,” shares LaBarre.
On Dec. 16, members of Morristown Local 43 arrived at the hospital with a police car filled with brown fuzzy teddy bears wearing Morristown Police Department T-shirts. The officers dressed in uniform and blue Santa hats for the delivery, in hopes of warming the hearts of kids who could use an extra reminder that people are thinking of them and wishing them a speedy recovery for the holidays.
“ There were a lot of really young kids and you could tell by their faces that they were happy to be getting a toy,” explains LaBarre.“ We had a couple of pre-teens who really loved the visit too.”
Local members spent the afternoon visiting hospital rooms in the inpatient and outpatient unit, the intensive care unit and emergency pediatric zone to deliver dozens of police teddy bears. Due to the condition of the kids who fight serious illnesses in the facility, Morristown Medical Center requested that only a small group of law enforcement officers make the hospital rounds so as to not overwhelm the young patients.
The Local 43 members enjoyed going into each room to speak with the patients and their families, who were happy to receive the outreach from the officers. LaBarre ordered the bears from a company in California that custom-designed the stuffed animal with the Morristown Police Department shield printed on the teddy’ s T-shirt. When placing the order, LaBarre made sure to request a surplus of the stuffed animals, knowing that there are always children’ s benefit events at which the Local can distribute the bears to cheer up kids.
“ We always like to do things to give back to the community,” stresses LaBarre.“ Morristown Medical Center is one of the town’ s biggest employers, so we try to find ways to strengthen our relationship with them after all they do for us.”
In addition to the bear-it-and-grin outreach at Morristown Medical Center, Local 43 finds additional ways to give back to the community by organizing events like last year’ s inaugural“ Cops, n Rodders Car Showcase.” Car enthusiasts gathered at the town’ s historic Morristown Green to check out antique vehicles that are parked on display up and down the street.
“ The event drives local business from people who are there to enjoy a nice day walking around the park and stopping in restaurants and shops in the area,” says LaBarre.
( From left) Lieutenant Stu Greer, Officer Beverly Downey, Sergeant Brian La- Barre and Detective Kevin Beal of Morristown Local 43 deliver teddy bears to Goryeb Children’ s Hospital.
Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty congratulates classic car owners Bob Wagner and Lauren Wagner for winning a category at the Morristown Local 43“ Cops‘ n Rodders Car Showcase”
The“ Cops, n Rodders Car Showcase” is another way for Morristown Local 43 to show support for business sponsors who partner with the PBA throughout the year. The showcase will be held again this year, once a month from May through October, xw this year to get the community together and help boost business throughout the town. d
56 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2017