Foothills Cruisers Mark 10th Year, Donate 1,000 Teddy Bears to Yuma Hospitals

The Foothills Cruisers Car Club arrived at Onvida Health on March 11 carrying more than 1,000 new teddy bears and stuffed animals, completing the 10th annual run of a donation program that has quietly woven itself into the fabric of pediatric care across Yuma County.

Club members delivered the bears to neonatal intensive care units and emergency rooms throughout the county, with Onvida Health serving as a primary stop. The club plans to extend the current round of donations to additional local health centers and clinics as well.

Doris Casey, Chairwoman of the Foothills Cruisers, described what the animals mean to children navigating the stress of hospitalization. "They basically hang out with them and say this is mine and have something to hug," Casey said. "It's a good brave for them when they have to go through all those tests and stuff with them."

Rosa Rubio, who works in the intensive care unit at Onvida Health, put the impact plainly. "These bears bring smiles to children while they go through difficult time at the hospital," Rubio said. "It's just a little token of care and comfort we can give to these kids."

The bears themselves are purchased new using proceeds collected from entry fees at the Foothills Cruisers' annual car show, making the club's passion for classic vehicles a direct pipeline to pediatric comfort care. That funding model has sustained the program through a full decade without interruption.

The Foothills Cruisers say the donations will continue at health centers and clinics across Yuma County, a commitment that suggests the next 10 years are already underway.