The annual CHEO Teddy Bear Picnic returned on Saturday to thank the community for its decades of support for Ottawa’s children’s hospital. Organized by the CHEO Foundation, the morning kicked off with a free pancake and sausage breakfast served by CTV’s Jackie Perez and Move 100’s Katherine Dines and Sophie Moroz. “It’s just our chance to say thank you to the community. All year long the community helps us,” said Steve Read, president and CEO of the CHEO Foundation. “Many events that we run in the community to help us do the work we do at CHEO. This is our way of giving back and saying thank you to all the kids, all the families and everybody who supported us over the course of the year.” Shannon and Steven Gravelle were attending the picnic with their kids. “It’s awesome to be at an event that we both went to as kids, so to be here with our own now for the first time is amazing,” said Steven Gravelle. The free family-friendly event brought entertainment and activities, including inflatables, face painting, a masquerade parade, build-a-buddy station and a mental health booth to teach children how to regulate their emotions. A CHEO bear hospital was also there to get furry friends stitched up and heal injuries. “It’s great because they get to spend all their energy. They love all the bouncy castles. They brought teddy bears to fix because they got some hands and just like to rip things apart,” said Alex Gittens, attending the picnic with his family. Donations go to support the hospital, the CHEO Research Institute, the CHEO School and the Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice.
