MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – While AmeriTruck Freight Services wasn’t the only company to throw its support behind collecting teddy bears for the children of New York City, its commitment was total.

The festive charity drive – known as the Great Big Teddy Bear Hug – originated in the U.S. when a California teacher, with the help of some of her students, got the idea to go across the southern U.S. collecting bears for the Big Apple’s kids.

AmeriTruck vice-president of operations, Todd Connors, explains when CFRB radio latched on to replicating the idea in and around Toronto, his company donated its the use of its only truck and one of only a couple of trailers.

“We certainly wanted to show our support for the kids of New York and let them know they touched our hearts,” he says.

“We wanted to let them know they had the support of Canada.”

Together with additional help from the Ontario Trucking Association, Trailcon Leasing, MSM Carriers, Russell A. Farrow Ltd., Canpar, RBC Financial, Cavalier Transportation Services, Toronto Digital Imaging and R.H. Small Insurance – CFRB and AmeriTruck managed to collect 3,500 bears. Of these, 800 came from one woman who had launched a similar campaign, but was unable to find a way to ship her support where it needed to go most.