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Stuffed bears delivered to children's hospitals for Valentine's Day

Originally, the students had a goal to raise 500 bears, but they exceeded that goal by more than 300.

YORK, S.C. — Dozens of York County high school students found a way to spread the love for Valentine’s Day through a special project for children’s hospitals in Charlotte.

Thirty-three students at York Comprehensive High School spent four months raising money --  and using some of their own -- to design and buy 822 bears from Build-A-Bear.

The bears are going to six organizations, including Levine Children’s Hospital, Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House. The bears are arriving just in time for Valentine’s Day to provide comfort to children admitted at the hospitals, as well as their siblings.

“When I’m wrapping the bow on the neck, I think some little kid is going to look at this and smile and get some piece of joy in a hardship," Gracie Billings, a senior at York Comprehensive High School, said. "I think it’s just happiness they’ll receive."

Because of COVID-19 protocols, the students were not able to hand-deliver the bears. However, Billings, who has volunteered on the project for four years, says she did get to meet a child who received a bear two years ago. 

"I actually got to meet a little girl who got one of the bears and it was the sweetest thing ever," Billings said.

Originally, the students had a goal to raise 500 bears, but they exceeded that goal by more than 300.

Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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