Teddy Bears' Picnic

The much anticipated Teddy Bears' Picnic was today at Assiniboine Park. We'd heard about the annual event when we moved here - that it was a must 'do' with the kids while we were living here.

The annual event is a fundraiser and opportunity to raise the profile of the Winnipeg Children's Hospital, with all funds raised going towards the Children's Hospital Foundation. The main attraction being the Dr. Goodbear Clinic for which we waited nearly 45 minutes in line to admit our beloved 'maggie doll' as a patient alongside thousands of other children with their cherished stuffies.

Once inside the clinic we were ushered through the examination room, X-ray, surgery, recovery and pharmacy. Maggie was very well taken care of, and the kids learned a ton about caring for their sickies. At the MASH unit, Maggie got stitched up by a volunteer surgeon from the 17 Wing Field Ambulance unit and casted by another compassionate volunteer. Isla even got to gown up for a little intravenous lesson.

There were plenty of other tents and live music and food vendors and various entertainment booths for the kids and I practically had to coax them out of there dragging their little exhausted feet behind them.