South Bend, IN. – The thirteenth annual Bears in the Air program lands at South Bend International Airport (SBN) when community stakeholders donate the first bears to the program at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 3 at the “Bear Den” located in the atrium of the airport. St. Joseph County Airport Authority Board President David Sage will be joined by South Bend Mayor James Mueller, Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center Resident Eugene Suggs, and Special Guests Martha Walorski, Isabella Hall, and Amelia Hall.
 
Bears in the Air will officially kick-off in the terminal at SBN on Friday, December 6. The party begins at 6:00 p.m. The event is open to anyone 21 years of age or older. The $35 per person entry fee will provide a teddy bear to a child in an area hospital and assistance to the Veterans at the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center. Guests will enjoy small plates, one free drink from the cash bar, music, and door prizes including airline tickets from Allegiant, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

Anyone unable to attend the event is encouraged to donate to the program through December 15 at https://givegrove.com/bearsintheair2024/.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone into the airport for an evening of fun and giving back,” said SBN’s CEO & Executive Director Mike Daigle. “In the past twelve years, our generous community has provided nearly 20,000 teddy bears to children in area hospitals and $96,600 to the Veteran’s Center in downtown South Bend.”

About South Bend International Airport
South Bend International Airport’s five air carriers provide nonstop flights to sixteen destinations: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Myers, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Orlando, Punta Gorda, Phoenix/Mesa, Sanford, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg, and Washington, D.C. with connections world-wide. South Bend International’s multi-modal terminal serves over one million air and rail passengers each year.

For additional information, please refer to www.FlySBN.com or get social with SBN on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FlySBN), Instagram (@SBNairport), LinkedIn (@South Bend International Airport), X (@SBNairport), or Threads (@SBNairport) to stay informed about the airport and the carriers that serve the South Bend region.