BUCYRUS — Residents throughout Crawford County are putting smiles on children’s faces with a Bear Hunt while everyone is practicing social distancing and following The Ohio Department of Health’s stay-at-home order.
While the order is in effect, Gov. Mike DeWine has said people may still take walks while staying six feet or more away from others. The bear hunt has become popular throughout the country as a way of entertaining kids as they take walks with their parents. The idea was taken from the popular book, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.
Local mom Stacey Orewiler started a Facebook group, “Going on a Bear Hunt (Crawford County),” for local residents to join in on the fun and posts the street names of where they live and bears can be found.
“I had seen that someone shared a post from the Tiffin area about putting bears in windows. This post was shared in the Bucyrus Community Crisis group. I thought it was a very cool idea and put one in my window,” Orewiler said. “I had noticed more and more people adding to this post and soon realized that we weren’t in the same area so I wanted to put out a list for this area so others could go out and have something enjoyable to do. I checked the list to find all the streets here in Bucyrus, I made a big list and then posted it to the community crisis group. From that post, I got a lot more people adding their streets so more bears could be found. That’s when I decided to make the group about going on a bear hunt.”
She said the hunt is a way to still have community involvement and interact while social distancing.
“It’s something fun and different for the kids to enjoy and get out when it’s nice, we all know being inside for a long period of time, kids tend to get bored easily,” Orewiler said.
Local mom of eight, Angel Beck, said she saw people posting that they put bears in their windows in our area after she started seeing posts from neighboring cities.
“I put one in our window then I saw everyone posting in our area that was doing it as well,” she said.
She said if the rain holds off for some over the weekend, she will be walking around her neighborhood to see how many teddy bears she and her kids can spot.
Shannon Van Hesteren said she joined in on the fun to help the kids who are having cabin fever so the parents can get them out of the house for a little bit.
“If they are walking around the neighborhoods, it’s good exercise as well,” Van Hesteren said.
Bucyrus resident Lisa Whited said the hunt is a great, free family event and has a bear in her window on Fremont Street in Bucyrus.
“I added balloon wrapping paper to my display of Pooh Bear to add more fun for the kids,” she said.
Chatfield resident Cassandra Cochran said she lives on Ohio 4 north and sees a lot of traffic pass by her house.
“It is just so awesome that our county wanted to do something cute and fun for our community. I love seeing everyone’s creations and clever displays,” Cochran said.
Five-year-old Brayden and 6-year-old Dariana Perry said they have seen several bears while on walks with their parents.
“We have seen lots of bears and I have one in my window and Dariana has one in hers too. It’s a lot of fun to find the bears,” said Brayden.
Tracey Cole saw a post on the Bucyrus Community Crisis Support Facebook page and decided to participate.
“A couple of girls recorded taking their kids out bear hunting. It was so fun to watch,” Cole said. “The one girl spotted my bear and I heard her in the video. Made my day.”
Heidi Valdez of the Crawford County Salvation Army in Bucyrus said her agency is participating in the hunt.
“We put one in our window to feel a sense of community even though we are physically separated. Also, our daughter is immune compromised so we needed something ‘cheerful’ to remind us what we are staying quarantined for,” Valdez said. “So, whenever we see our koala bear we are reminded we are all in this together.”
Grandmother Tammy Rhodes Miller said she is quarantined with her grandson who is immune-compromised and medically complex and is also participating for a sense of community.
“My grandson can’t get out to go for a bear hunt but at least we can participate by putting bears in our windows for other families to find,” Rhodes Miller said. “It’s a good way to have something positive going on in our community when things are less than perfect.”
Other grandmothers are getting in on the fun to spread cheer for local kids during the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home order.
Lorri Snavely Sparks said she is participating for my grandchildren since she is diabetic and is not allowed around them during the threat of the spread of the virus.
“I am hoping that they go by Mimi’s house and see the bear in the window and know that I am thinking of them,” Sparks said.
One resident took a drive with her kids and found more than 100 bears throughout the area.
Bucyrus Police Chief Dave Koepke said the hunt is a great idea for families while taking a walk for exercise and fresh air.
“I think it is a wonderful idea,” Koepke said. “As part of the governor’s stay-at-home order, people can still get outside and go for walks or bike rides while staying at least six feet away from others at all times.”
He said it’s better for people to walk to bear hunt than to drive since people should only drive if it is essential.
“Kids and teens cannot congregate or walk in clusters but can walk with their families or others that live in the same household with them while social distancing,” Koepke said.
A list of street names where bears can be located is available on the Going on a Bear Hunt (Crawford County) site at https://www.facebook.com/groups/615496935972004.
Bucyrus resident Jeanie Roberts, who has 11 bears in her windows on Hopley Avenue, makes a good point for the hunt.
“It’s a way to cheer up the community and have a safe family outing hunting bears,” said Roberts. “Not many children can call a grandparent from another state and tell them they went on a bear hunt. Keep hunting and smiling!”