Fort Frances OPP and the local McDonald’s restaurant launched a joint program Friday aimed at helping to comfort children who have been in traumatic situations.
It’s called the Kid’s Comfort Program, and it supplies OPP officers with teddy bears they can offer to traumatized children they encounter in the line of duty.
Upsetting situations could include motor vehicle accidents, domestic disturbances, or a child who is lost.
The one-year partnership was launched province-wide back in June, and the bears arrived here last month. OPP officers will carry the teddy bears in their cruisers so they’re available at all times.
The bear is light brown, and wears a blue bow tie with the McDonald’s logo on it. Besides having something soft to hold on to, some children may be consoled by the familiarity of the restaurant’s logo.
“My little guy, he’s three-year old and he recognizes the McDonald’s logo,” said local McDonald’s manager Philip Jones.
The teddy bear also holds a coupon in its paw for a free Happy Meal.
“Every child deals with a traumatic experience in a different way,” said Cst. Dereck McLean, community service officer with the Fort Frances OPP. “It’s up to the officer to determine if the kit is needed.”
“The Kid’s Comfort [Program] allows officers to provide the familiar comfort of a teddy bear to a young child when it’s needed most,” said Mike Forman, regional vice-president for Ontario for McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada.
The OPP first began distributing teddy bears to children in 1989.
“We have heard time and time again that the bears are successful at providing comfort to young children,” said OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface.
“Thanks to partners like McDonald’s, we can continue to offer this extremely important initiative across the province,” she added.
Some 2,000 bears have been distributed across Ontario so far.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
