OLEAN, N.Y. — Allegany American Legion Riders Post 892 presented Olean General Hospital (OGH), a Kaleida Health facility, with a donation to the hospital’s emergency room and obstetrics departments July 31.

This annual act of generosity stems from the legion riders’ Seventh Annual Teddy Bear Dice Run, held this year on June 7. More than 50 riders from across the region participated in the event. Participants were encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal of their choice to donate to OGH to comfort pediatric patients. The event took in more than 70 stuffed animals, which will be distributed to children receiving care in the emergency department.

“The stuffed animals donated by the Legion Riders offer comfort and security to children in the emergency department, turning a frightening moment into one filled with warmth, hope and a sense of safety,” said Rhonda Chamberlain, OGH Emergency Department manager.

The event also generated $4,000 that was donated to the OB department to acquire equipment to enhance patient care.

“The donation from the legion riders means so much to our OB department. The ability to add postpartum hemorrhage scales to each of our labor and delivery rooms and C-section suite enables us to provide a higher standard of care in measuring blood loss accurately, by identifying hemorrhages faster and starting treatment sooner,” said Nicole Marvin, director of critical care services at OGH. “Postpartum hemorrhage management, the leading cause of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, is a fundamental piece of our maternal quality safety initiatives here at OGH. Our staff are excited to begin using these scales for all deliveries.”

Laura Decker, third vice president of the Legion Riders, said, “We’ve been doing the ride since 2017. The idea for the teddy bears came to me after my son had to go into the hospital when he was 2 years old. The nurses gave him a little bear to hold, and when I asked about it, they told me it was a donation. I thought, ‘What a great idea!’ He’s 20 now and still holds that bear dear.”

The American Legion will continue to accept donations through September. New and unused stuffed animals will be accepted at the Allegany American Legion Post 892 at 4350 Route 417, Allegany.