Editors Note: Welcome to Inside Out, our weekly roundup of stories about Staten Islanders making waves, being seen, supporting our community and just making our borough a special place to live. Have a story for Inside Out? Email Carol Ann Benanti at benanti@siadvance.com

Retired Surrogate Robert J. Gigante smiles in his chambers amid hundreds of teddy bears collected for his Teddy Bear Drive several years back. (Staten Island Advance/Irving Silverstein) staten island advance

Retired Surrogate Robert J. Gigante heads up an enormously successful Teddy Bear Drive at holiday time each year. The drive translates into an extraordinary endeavor involving the collection of those fluffy little guys to be distributed to children in need and/or those experiencing a health crisis.

This season, however, organizers of the drive, now in its 20th year, ran into a number of road blocks because of restrictions connected to the coronavirus making the holiday season for 2020 so much different.

But Gigante explains teddy bears were still needed as a way to bring smiles to childrens faces especially at holiday time.

During past years the drive grew from a collection of 200 to 300 bears during the first few years to way over 1,000 bears during the last few years.

In years past, collection boxes were placed at venues around town -- at banks, the St. George Theatre and the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield, to mention a few. But this year the set up was a little different.

And what made it even more difficult, said Gigante, was that this year those collection boxes had to be sealed because of coronavirus concerns. And since so many of us were quarantined, the effort became all the more challenging.

Teddy bears were wrapped in cellophane for this years Teddy Bear Drive. (Courtesy/William Newstad) Staten Island Advance

In walked William Newstad, an attorney with the New Dorp law firm of Sak, Rampulla and Newstad, who Gigante said came to the rescue and offered to do the leg work. He had no problem making the deliveries, Gigante said.

A community-spirited Staten Islander, Newstad is an active member of the Boy Scouts as leader of Cub Scout Pack 41. And in previous years he portrayed Santa Claus in the St. George Theatres holiday extravaganza.

At a Build-A-Bear Workshop at the Staten Island Mall are from left, Girl Scout Troop 5012 leaders Maria McGrail, Mary Wildes and Jill Delgado, Robert J. Gigante and William (Bill) Newstad, leader of Cub Scout Pack 41. (Staten Island Advance/Carol Ann Benanti) Staff-Shot

And as Newstad explained, We cant let this Teddy Bear Drive die.

So when the Goodhue Center, the Nalitt Institute and The Addeo Hospice Residence placed calls wondering if they would received a delivery of those flurry little ones, organizers assured them the show would go on.

These places were hurting because they normally receive teddy bears and toys from charities and a number of individuals. But this year was different, said Gigante.

Newstad devised a plan. After searching the web he located several vendors who would donate the teddy bears. As a result more than 200 teddy bears were delivered to the centers.

Gigante continued: We also sent out letters to the Bar Association, Macys and Amazon who were terrific and sent us teddy bears that were sealed. And thanks to Bill it was a real win and we reinvented the wheel and had over 200 bears. We figured out a way to do it and gave a gift to everyone in the program looking for help.

Next year, hopefully it will be a little more normal, said Newstad. The bears were individually wrapped in cellophane and a bunch came from Bob Schwimmer. He was our lifeline this year or we wouldnt have been able to do it. We were able to get deliveries from him.

I brought the bears that were individually wrapped up to The Nalitt Center who ordinarily would have a Christmas party. But this year they did a virtual drive-by Christmas party a drive through where bears were handed through the windows of the car.

I would like to thank the members of the Richmond County Bar Association for their support of this years Holiday Teddy Bear Drive. And even though Covid restrictions meant no collection boxes were situated in banks or public places, the need still existed more than ever and we were able to deliver over 200 bears to the Nalitt Center, Goodhue Center, the Addeo Hospice Residence and to Silver Lake Head Start, said Gigante.

And once gain we cannot thank the judges, judges staff, attorneys and city Correction Officers and especially Bill Newstad for keeping the drive alive!

CELEBRATIONS - FEB. 7 THROUGH FEB. 13

FEB. 7

Happy birthday Sunday to former Congressman Michael Grimm, Shirley Jahns, who turns 90, Pat DiScenza, who turns 81, Joanne Nuzzo, Esther Montalbano, Scott Johnsen, Christian Pfaff, Jim Bunberry, Andrew Morales, Samantha Decker and twins Eleanor Danis and Theresa Gargano.

Wedding anniversary greetings Sunday to Hank and Judy Barnett.

FEB. 8

The happiest of birthdays Monday to Michelle LaBove, Jennifer Simonson, Olga Oogie Smith, Christopher Uhlig, Raymond Marsh, Art Truscelli, Alexandria Nicole Catalano, Buddy Connor, Grace Buono and Marc and Elizabeth Dennis who share a birthday, but are nine years apart.

FEB. 9

Tuesday is birthday time for Gail LaChance, Jillian Manna, Ron Riccardi and Franny Montalbano.

FEB. 10

Birthday greetings Wednesday to Ellen Washington, who turns 88, Phil Migliore, Mary DeMaio, Victoria Tabacco, who turns 21, Edward Sierp, Timothy Smith, Michael Pelle Sr., Steven Heyward, Ruth Waldhelm, Maliyah Greene, and Feliz Torres Jr.

Happy wedding anniversary Wednesday to Helen and Harry Heyward.

FEB. 11

Thursday is birthday time for Jane Rogers, former president and general manager of the Staten Island Yankees, Caitlyn Marie Rowan, Grant Miller, John Michael Rutherford, who turns 18, Iris Napolitano, Jennifer Lemmen, Wayne Baskin and Rosemary Lawson.

Happy wedding anniversary Thursday to Rosemary and Tom Lawson and to Pat and Toni DiScenza.

FEB. 12

The best of birthdays Friday to Dr. Craig Campbell of West Brighton, Grand Marshal of Staten Island St. Patricks Day Parade in 2011 who remains active in charity and community work with the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) and the Brighton Kiwanis Club, Kari Pulizzano. Robert Verdi, Todd Peter Curry of Sunnyside, Mary Antico, Althea Rubano, who celebrates her 92, Nancy Tiedemann Gigantiello, Jeremy Panzella, Frank Azzara and Daniel J. Finamore.

FEB. 13

Saturday is birthday time for Jay Price, Lynn Votto, twins Daniel and Connor Murphy, who turn 22, Nicole Bova, Jessica Jones-Gorman, Matthew Blasi, who turns 25 on Rev. Vincent Capodannos birthday date, and Carol Polvere.

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Inside Out: This years Teddy Bear Drive served Staten Island well despite Covid restrictions - SILive.com