LUMBERTON — Local residents and businesses are using teddy bears in windows to bring the community together during a time when social distancing practices are trying to keep everyone isolated.
The craze that has made its rounds across Facebook and is known as a “Bear Hunt” gives people living in close neighborhoods a chance to help children and families stay active while keeping their distance during the COVID-19 outbreak. A neighborhood walk becomes a scavenger hunt as people count bears in windows while strolling.
“This is a good way to pull together while we are social distancing,” said Sandra Evans, who lives in Lumberton’s Tanglewood neighborhood. “Even though this started out as a social media thing, it’s a way to bring us together, still socially distance ourselves with social media to get outside and active.”
The idea comes from the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen. Like many people who drew inspiration through Facebook, Evans first saw the idea on the Tanglewood Neighborhood Watch page. Her house has seven bears in windows that face 19th Street.
Finding the bears wasn’t hard for Evans.
“I have a 13-year-old daughter, so we have a gazillion stuffed animals,” Evans said. “Some are upstairs, but we still have a lot around the house and we put them in the windows. She has a Build-A-Bear addiction.”
The bear population has spread well beyond the Evans household.
“I have seen a bunch of bears around, and the kids love it,” Evans said.
Other neighborhoods in Lumberton, such as Highland and The Oaks, also have experienced a bear invasion.
“The kids are riding around my neighborhood on bikes or walking to go on a Bear Hunt,” Lumberton City Councilman Leroy Rising said. “It gives them something to get excited about in the evenings.”
Rising lives in Highland and said he has seen more than 20 bears in windows as of this past week, and around the same number in The Oaks.
“This really gives the kids something to do, and sometimes its a kind of a competition to see who can see more,” Rising said. “It’s a good way to get people involved.”
Rising has two bears in his window to represent his two grandchildren who live in The Oaks. The grandchildren have been on hunts in The Oaks and Highland.
Children in the Highland community also have used their time outside to brighten spirits in the community by chalking the sidewalks, driveways and streets.
“The children have been chalking nice messages in driveways and out in the road and it’s really been catching on,” Rising said.
The chalking is something that Evans hopes will make its way to the Tanglewood neighborhood.
The Carolina Civic Center also joined in on the bear hunt after several residents in nearby communities suggested the Center do so.
“Some parents in the neighborhood told us about it,” said Jonathan Brewington, the theater’s stage manager. “We just grabbed one of the bears that we use for our Christmas show.”
The bear is just under 3 feet tall and easy to spot in the theater’s front display window, where it is surrounded by the upcoming event posters, facing Chestnut Street. Brewington said the theater plans to place teddy bears in windows on the building’s other two floors.
“We just hadn’t got to it yet,” he said.
