Thousands of Manitobans attend 37th annual Teddy Bear Picnic

Thousands of people showed up with their stuffed animals to the 37^th annual Teddy Bear Picnic at Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Sunday.

The event which started as a telethon in 1987 has become a staple annual event in the community for children and healthcare professionals.

For the Shaperas, volunteering at the picnic is a family tradition.

“The community has been really good to us, and I have to give back because that’s what people should do, and this is just a super event,” said 86-year-old Earnest Shapera has been volunteering since the beginning and says he would like to make to the 40th year of the event.

Shapera’s grand-nephew, Gavin, has even a bear tattoo on his as a testament to the event’s importance to the family.

“As far as I can remember I’ve been here every year,” Gavin said. “I’ve actually got a tattoo that commemorates our family connection to it. Like I said it’s a yearly tradition, we don’t even think about it really.”

Scott McDonald, chairman of the advisory committee of the event, said the event helps to spread awareness about the children’s hospital in a positive way.

“It’s great to spread awareness, education and make it more comfortable for kids that have to come into the children’s hospital for whatever they need done,” McDonald said.

Organized by the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, it’s estimated that over 30,000 people attended the event.

The day kicked off with a pancake breakfast, and then kids lined up to have their furry friends patched up by the professionals.

Shapera’s nephew David said the event is setup to make the hospital visit less anxious for the children.

“Its so kids understand healthcare, if they ever have to go to the hospital, we teach them that it’s not a scary place,” David said.

McDonald attended the event with his two children, a three-year-old and a six-month-old who attended his first picnic.

“We just took (the three-year-old) to the doctor Goodbear clinic which is always a highlight,” said McDonald. “He got his stuffy all casted up, so he’s good to go now for another year.”

“It’s not about necessarily fundraising today, today is about us giving back to the community, creating a wonderful space for our frontline heroes,” said Stefano Grande, president and CEO, Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

“Our doctors, our nurses, our researchers — every single day, these are our heroes trying to take care of our kids,” he said.