Bear hugs

20 February 2002 | Cal basketball player Solomon Hughes shares smiles and a cuddly bear with a young girl at Children’s Hospital and Research Center of Oakland. Six members of the Cal men’s and women’s basketball teams visited the hospital Feb. 12 as part of the “Bear Hugs Program” of Bear Backer Youth. Also on hand to distribute Cal bears were famed mascot Oski, Vice Chancellor Horace Mitchell and private donors.

“It was one of the most moving days of my life,” donor Paul Cataleta said of the experience. “The bears brought huge smiles to their faces, even kids who were in pain.”

Bear Backer Youth provides scholarship assistance for at-risk youth to attend campus recreational sports programs, and donates a toy bear to a child for each contribution of $100 or more. During the holiday season, it gave more than 130 Golden Bears to hospitalized children.