Donate New Teddy Bears for Festival’s ‘Very Beary Tree’ — Goodwill Industry of Southwest Florida, Inc.

Norris Furniture & Interiors collected bears for 2016 Festival of Trees

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Oct. 13, 2017 – PRLog — Join Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. in collecting new, stuffed teddy bears to decorate the “Very Beary Christmas” tree as part of the 11th Annual Festival of Trees.

Comprised of hundreds of bears donated by the community, the tree will be displayed from Nov. 29.- Dec. 3 during the festival at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Attendees gather around this special tree to raise money for the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation. Then the tree is traditionally donated to a children’s hospital.

“Because the tree and bears grace the hospital lobby, we need the bears to be new, rather than used,” said Susan Hegarty, Goodwill’s community relations coordinator. “A nurse last year told me the children’s faces light up when they see it or when they’re given a bear to keep as their own.”

Donation boxes are located at the following businesses, including:

* Norris Furniture & Interiors locations in Fort Myers, Naples and Sanibel;

* Bella Terra Clubhouse, Estero;

* Bellisimo Salon in Fort Myers;

* Dex Imaging offices in Fort Myers and Bonita Springs;

* Goodwill’s Boutique on First, in Fort Myers River District;

* Goodwill’s Opportunity Center, 5100 Tice Street; and

* Zak’s Jewelry in Cape Coral.

The deadline to donate is Nov. 21.  Cash donations to purchase bears are also accepted online at www.GoodwillTrees.com. Festival activities and sponsorship information can also be found on the website.

Last year’s Festival of Trees raised wfv $63,000 to support The Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation, which provides long-term financial support to Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida programs and services for individuals with disabilities or disadvantages.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. is committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by providing life-changing opportunities to achieve independence. Last year, Goodwill was able to assist more than 42,000 people across Southwest Florida. For more information about Goodwill visit www.goodwillswfl.org.