Teddy bears from Champaign will soon have a chance to comfort children across the world.

Great News Radio, WGNN 103.9 FM and 102.5 FM, is collecting teddy bears for children in Israel, said Mark Burns, general manager of WGNN.

For the second year of the "Cargo of Care" teddy bear collection, a group from WGNN will deliver the bears to children in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, immigrant absorption centers and private homes. Burns said the care centers serve all children.

"We handed out bears to Israelis, Arabs, Palestinians, Druze, Bedouins," Burns said. "The hospitals wrote us, 'Please come back. The children loved it.'"

Burns said people often ask why they are bringing stuffed animals to Israel.

"People ask, 'When there's people starving, why would you bring teddy bears?'" Burns said.

They bring bears because most medical and physical needs are met by the state, but the children still need emotional support.

"They are overwhelmed that somebody would care," Burns said. "These children are the innocent ones. They never know what's going to happen."

Burns and his wife Carrie, the station's director of creative services, have been to Israel about 10 times. Their group went on a similar humanitarian trip last year and also donated blood.

"Hugs last a few moments, teddy bears last a few years, and blood lasts for a lifetime." Burns said. This year, the group of about 35 volunteers will also help people fix up their homes.

"Whatever we can do to help," Burns said. The trip will take place from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5.

For the most part, the group members are from the Champaign-Urbana area and range in age from 15 to mid-70s.

They put out collection boxes a few weeks ago and have collected a roomful of bears at the Mahomet Community Free Church.

The teddy bear boxes are located in businesses, churches and schools around the area, including Judah Christian School, 908 N. Prospect Ave. in Champaign, the Mahomet IGA in the Eastwood Center and the Mahomet Community Free Church. They need the bears, with tags on them, by Friday, Oct. 3.

"We have about 10 bears in there," said Kristi Warsaw, Mahomet IGA employee. The store also participated in the collection last year.

The Mahomet Community Free Church has about 1,000 bears so far, said Deacon Dan White.

"If I'm not mistaken, it looks larger than last year," White said.

For security reasons, all bears must be new. The program checks to ensure they still have tags on them from the store.

White said he and his wife Cindy have always wanted to go to Israel and finally have the chance to go with the "Cargo of Care" program.

"I'm looking forward to it," White said. "It's going to be a very interesting trip."