DeMotte Chapter
DeMotte, Indiana

Coordinated by Evelyn Musch and Joann Swart

The Chapter has sent dozens of bears to the Crisis Center as well as dozens to police and EMT's. The bears ride the police cars and are ready for young accident victims as well as family disputes. At the moment Evelyn is gearing up with her sister to approach the schools in an effort have them help with the Tsunami relief effort.

KV Post News, February 8th, 2005 Helping Those Affected by the Tsunami KV kids send love and hugs to children in Asia By KIM M. COBB, Correspondent DeMotte Elementary School students who donated to the Hugs Across America program included (far back) Steven Scholey; (second row) Brad Severs, Robby Fraticelli, Ariel Garcia, Lexie Eggert, Caitlyn Ginver, Courtney Way; (front row) Tommy Galusha, Caitlyn Wallace. They are third graders in Mrs. Stone's class. JASPER COUNTY -- Students at three elementary schools in Northern Jasper County -- DeMotte Elementary, DeMotte Christian, and Wheatfield Elementary -- teamed up with the Jasper County Chapter of Hugs Across America to collect teddy bears to send to victims of the Tsunami in Asia. Hugs contacted the schools to see if the students would help them collect teddy bears to comfort the children who have lost so much during the tragedy. Students in all three schools eagerly participated in the event, collecting more than 1,300 stuffed bears and animals. The bears were collected by members of Hugs and will be sent to the Tsunami victims. For the full story, please read the February 3 issue of the KV Post-News.

JASPER COUNTY -- The Jasper County Chapter of Hugs Across America recently distributed new teddy bears to Jasper County Crisis Center, The Keener Township Ambulance Center, The Keener Township Fire Department and the DeMotte Police Department to give to children in need of comfort.

Hugs Across America, Inc. is a nondenominational, not for profit charitable organization providing teddy bears, curricular materials and messages of care to lessent the fear and anxiety experiences by children in crisis.

"Hugs" has created a national network of regional response centers, or chapters, throughout the country. Each chapter is responsible to its local area with "teddies at the ready" responding to circumstances of personal tragedy, as well as natural or national disasters.

The Jasper County Chapter of Hugs Across America is the first chapter to be started in the state of Indiana.