Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) on June 26 held its first Teddy Bear Picnic since the pandemic began. Supporters and recipients gathered at the reopened Montecito Club for a whimsical picnic lunch event to benefit TBCF’s mission to support families of children battling cancer.

Guests enjoyed live music, lawn games like croquet and cornhole, and activities including henna, caricatures, and balloon artistry, in addition to food and wine. This event is scheduled to be held again at Montecito Club in May 2022. The gathering was TBCF’s first traditional in-person event since the pandemic began.

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation is the only nonprofit organization that provides financial, emotional and educational assistance to families who have a child with cancer in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties.

Coming together on Montecito Club’s upper lawn allowed picnic guests to remain comfortably distant and take in the views. As guests mingled and played lawn games, they had the opportunity to participate in three small fundraisers supporting the TBCF mission.

Co-chairs for the Teddy Bear Picnic were Maria Wilson and Sofie Langhorne, who are on TBCF’s board of directors, and each were event sponsors. Ginni Dreier served as honorary chair and a lead sponsor. The event committee included Matt Fish, Jamie Hansen, Sheela Hunt, Debbie Neer and Tara Zanecki.

Other sponsors included presenting sponsor Earl Minnis, as well as Charmaine and Tom Rogers, Maria and Monte Wilson, Drs. Jon and Karen Tammela, BMW Santa Barbara, Phil Hons, Sofie Langhorne, Village Properties/Mark and Sheela Hunt, Channeltechs, Timothy and Lisa Couch, Mad Fitness, and Jim Crook of Milpas Motors.

“We’re were thrilled to be able to host an in-person event again. We’ve really missed this,” Wilson said. “Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation supporters have been wonderful this past year, and we were so grateful to have been able to thank them in person.”

In 2020 TBCF reduced its operating budget in response to the pandemic; however, the need for services significantly increased.

“Our supporters and donors really came through for our families last year with gift cards, grocery cards, deliveries, financial support, and increased volunteerism. It was really inspiring,” said Langhorne.

Despite their reduced budget, TBCF was able to continue to serve every family that requested support, and increase their support groups and financial assistance.

Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s mission is to advocate for families living in the tri-counties who have a child with cancer by providing financial, emotional and educational support. Since 2002 TBCF has provided more than $2 million to families through direct financial aid.

TBCF also provides emotional support groups for parents, children and teens in both English and Spanish. The organization’s educational program assists children who are re-entering the school system by offering post-chemo tutoring and neuropsychological assessments.

For more about the services offered by TBCF, visit TeddyBearCancerFoundation.org.