Kids in Portage got the chance to enjoy a beary excellent Saturday.

The Family Resource Centre held its first Teddy Bear Picnic this past Saturday, August 13th. Program coordinator Peter Thiessen says they held two picnics, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m. and they were held at the Oddfellows Bandstand on Island Park. 

While there was entertainment available for the families, they wanted to put the focus on getting the kids directly involved in the fun.

"There was a few different stations that the families could go to, so we encouraged to them very strongly to bring their own stuffy," explains Thiessen. "The stations included a medic station where they could get their bears patched up, there was a washing station they could get cleaned up a little bit, plus some games, some books, and a picture booth."

He notes there were tons of teddy bears, along with a couple of monsters, elephants, horses, and more. He says the turnout was great for both picnics, but the morning saw more families attend.

A wooden sign for the event.

Thiessen says the support they've gotten for this new event has been fantastic to see.

"It was so much fun to see so many families that we've gotten to know over the years through our regular programs come out for this new event," says Thiessen. "We also got to see several families that we haven't had the chance of meeting before, so it was a neat opportunity to introduce ourselves in a really fun way."

Thiessen is thankful that so many families brought their cuddly pals for a successful Saturday.