Thanks for Making Books and Bears a Big Success

December 28, 2007
Contact: Elise Schaffer, PIO Phone: (608) 284-6142 Email: schaffer@co.dane.wi.us

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank everyone who answered the call last week to donate books and bears to the Dane County Jail. In just a few days, hundreds of new children’s books and stuffed animals were donated, making it possible to continue the Books and Bears program in the jail over Christmas. For the past 10 years, jail staff have given a book and a bear to each child visiting a parent or family member at the Dane County Jail over the holidays. With a shortage of donations this year, the Sheriff’s Office reached out to the public to maintain the program, and the response was overwhelming. The Sheriff’s Office would like to extend their appreciation to the individuals and businesses that donated. They include; Barnes and Noble (East Towne), The First Congregational United Church of Christ, Kate Stormer (Children’s Author), and the American Girl Co, just to name a few. Most of the donations came to the Dane County Courthouse by anonymous donors. The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the weapons screeners in the courthouse for volunteering to collect the donations. Thanks to everyone’s generosity, the program is scheduled to continue through the New Year’s weekend. ###