SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) -- Local law enforcement and first responders will be getting over one thousand stuffed animals to help comfort young victims of crime and trauma.
Midwest Communications announced today that they and their sponsors had gathered the plush toys in the Teddy Bear Posse promotion that ran through most of September and October and ended today.
"Unfortuantely, myself and other officers come into situations where we meet children who are put into a bad situation because of something their that their parent's did to them or something that went wrong accidently," said Sioux Falls Police Officer Charles Skidmore. "These stuffed animals go a long way toward making the children comfortable with law enforcement as well as passing the time in the situation until we can get things resolved."
Sponsors with MWC Radio included Billion Automotive, Telecris Plasma Resources, Sioux Empire Federal Credit Union, Granite City Food and Brewery, Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum, Papa Murphy's , and The Empire Mall.
MWC Radio operations manager Tom Gjerdrum said this was the first time for the stations to participate in a stuffed animal drive. He said he expects the stations to do the collection at least on an annual basis in the future.