TRA Celebrates National Teddy Bear Day with Gift of 400 Teddy Bears in Honor of Zoey Moonbeam Wahl

September 9, 2014, Oyster Bay, New York — The Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) today is celebrating National Teddy Bear Day by donating 400 teddy bears to children at hospitals nationwide in honor of Zoey Moonbeam Wahl, who died on May 31, 2014 at the age of 4. The bears will bring comfort and a touch of home to hospitalized children, in keeping with the wishes of Zoey’s family.

A program of the TRA since 1986, Teddy Bears for Kids has given more than 80,000 bears to hospitalized children across the United States.

“We are pleased to honor the wishes of Zoey’s family by placing new teddy bears with children in hospitals in her memory,” commented James Pehta, chair of the TRA’s Teddy Bears for Kids program.

Zoey Moonbeam Wahl, of Seattle, Washington and Woodbridge, Virginia, touched the lives of all who knew her through her contagious smile and loving spirit. She always found a way to surprise her loved ones. Zoey’s family established an online memorial to her, at www.zoeymoonbeam.com, where they encourage friends and family to share their stories of Zoey. Zoey’s family requests that donations in her honor be made to Teddy Bears for Kids.

The TRA recently expanded Teddy Bears for Kids to include made-in-the-U.S.A. teddy bears, which provide a unique giving opportunity for teddy bear donors. Teddy Bears for Kids also is growing on the West Coast—particularly in Los Angeles—under the guidance of TRA member Susan Lee.

The TRA is a congressionally chartered non-profit historical and public service organization dedicated to perpetuating the memory and ideals of Theodore Roosevelt. More information about the TRA and Teddy Bears for Kids is available online.  

Theodore Roosevelt Association
P.O. Box 719
Oyster Bay, NY 11771