Children receiving care at Centralus Health hospitals will receive 120 NASCAR-themed teddy bears donated by Watkins Glen International and The NASCAR Foundation.
Watkins Glen International also gave $10,000 to the Schuyler Health Foundation for its work with pediatric and adolescent patients, according to a Thursday release from Centralus Health. The bears were distributed across the health system's hospitals.
The donation is part of The NASCAR Foundation's Speedy Bear Brigade, which delivers stuffed bears to children during hospital visits. Watkins Glen International and the foundation partnered on a similar donation last year, the release said.
Kim Sprague, director of the Schuyler Health Foundation, said a hospital visit can be overwhelming for a child and family. She said the bears offer a small source of comfort while the financial gift supports care for young patients.
Dawn Burlew, president of Watkins Glen International, said the racetrack was continuing its partnership with the foundation and hoped the bears would bring comfort to children during their visits.
Centralus Health is an affiliation of the Arnot Health and Cayuga Health systems. Its hospital campuses and medical practices serve patients across the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes and Central New York.
The release did not specify which hospitals received the bears or how the Schuyler Health Foundation will spend the $10,000 donation.
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