Operation Teddy Care
Freeland, WA

A Hugs Across America “Regional Response Center”

Update: January 2005
By Sue Lucarelli

Operation Teddy Care is now set up in Freeland, Washington. Bobby Moran and Dr. Bear moved there west coast operation from southwest California after the forest fires devastated their community and caused terrible loss for their family. We share their grief and join them in the hope for a new and productive mission in Washington. Operation Teddy Care is responding to the crisis in South East Asia. Follow their activities on their website .

Operation Teddy Care is actually not a chapter but more of an affiliate. Operation Teddy Care started not long after the Vietnam war when Bobby Moran’s husband, a Marine, was wounded in battle and returned home only to gather teddy bears and take them back to village youngsters in the war zone. He subsequently became a trauma counselor and now, as Dr. Bear, started Operation Teddycare in California.

Bobby and I became aware of one another after 9/11 when she contacted us to help send teddy bears to the children and victims of the World Trade Center disaster. When Hugs Across America began on the East coast, we had no idea that such an operation was already functioning on the West coast. As the war began and both of our organizations continued to meet the needs of children, and particularly those of our troops in Iraq, Bobby and I spoke of how we might continue to cooperatively help children.

There will be more to follow, as the Moran’s take their operation to Washington State. Her own family and home community were devastated by the California forest fires and have decided to move. We wish them well as they start a new Regional Response Center with Hugs.

And, can you believe this? Unbeknownst to us, Bobby and I grew up in the same town, Cincinnati Ohio…and had family in the same church in a little community call Mariemont. WOW!!! What are the chances…must be teddy love in the waters of Cincinnati!

Please check out the Operation Teddycare website.