Vermont Magazine | Page 51

Big Hero, Little Hero® Buy One, Donate One to First Responders Founded in 2002, the Big Hero, Little Hero® Program is one of our oldest and most loved Bears That Care. For every Little Hero Bear® purchased, we donate another Little Hero Bear to a first responder unit so that children can have a bear hug when they need it most—during crisis situations. To date, we have donated more than 15,000 bears to first responder units throughout the United States. Limb Loss & Limb Difference Bear SSN-792 Dewey Bear The Amputee Coalition USS Vermont Commissioning Committee We are constantly thinking about how our bears can touch more hearts and spread more love. The result? The newest members of the Bears That Care program are our Limb Loss & Limb Difference bears. Working closely with the Amputee Coalition, we designed these bears to bring comfort, joy, and love. Limb Loss & Limb Difference bears also offer direct support to the Amputee Coalition, as 20 percent of every sale is donated directly to this important organization. The Vermont (SSN-792) Commissioning Committee is proud to collaborate with the Vermont Teddy Bear Company to create limited-edition bears marking the acceptance of the USS Vermont—the newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine—into the U.S. Navy! A portion of profits helps pay for the traditional events, activities, and gifts associated with the commissioning, which marks the beginning of Vermont’s active service. VTMAG.COM 2019 VTMAG.COM HOLIDAY HOLIDAY 2019 49 49