April 23, 2024

Spot the teddy bear

Teddy bear hunt provides source of entertainment for children

By CALEB NELSON

This Coca-Cola drinking bear was spotted on a front porch in Greenfield as part of a teddy bear hunt organized by Greenfield mom Katie Stender. (CNA photo)

For many reasons, teddy bears have always been a great source of comfort in times of sadness or trouble.

Julie Dunn was quick to take part in a bear hunt that was created by Greenfield mom Katie Stender last week.

Residents were asked to place a teddy bear either in their window or on their front porch. Parents of young children could then drive around the area to find as many bears as they could.

School has been out of session since March 17 and will not return until at least April 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bear hunt, based on the book “Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen, was intended to give kids in the community something to look forward to while out of school.

The bear Dunn chose to put out in front of her Greenfield home is named Boo. It’s one her husband, Charlie, gave her when he was deployed to the Iraq War in 2005 as part of the Army Reserves five years into their marriage.

“When he told me he would be leaving for Iraq, I was devastated because at that time the war was at its height. He asked me what is it that you need from me while I’m gone. The two things I came up with were that I wanted flowers every month and something that would remind me of him,” Dunn said, adding that Boo was the item Charlie gave her that was to remind her of his support, even from afar.

Stender was very pleased with the response the bear hunt received. One member of the group stated that they took their grandchildren around Greenfield and found as many as 27 bears. One bear could be seen on a front porch drinking a Coca-Cola.

Dunn works as a part-time librarian at Nodaway Valley Elementary School and says it felt good to be able play a part in brightening the lives of students in the area she isn’t getting to see right now because school is out.

“Those kids become your kids as well. Their well-being is what we want to protect. We want them to be safe and have things to do at home, not just school-related things but keep them active and thinking about people who still care about them,” Dunn said.