Community gets creative with ‘bear hunts’ and ‘flower shows’ during COVID-19 quarantine
Social distancing parameters can’t keep folks from enjoying a little socially- distant socializing
news@theeveningtimes.com
The Coronavirus delivered a challenge to parents after the state closed down public and private school. Add social distancing and isolation recommendations and how is a child supposed to burn off their energy at home?
How about a bear hunt. You may remember, there was a bear that wandered into Brunetti Field in Marion a couple years back? He was long since successfully relocated and doing well.
This hunt is not all about that. The West Memphis and Marion Bear and Flower Hunt Facebook Page has promoted some good clean fun to get children out of the house, out for a walk and into a hunt for stuffed animals on display in their neighbors front porch or window.
Other hunts have proven popular during school vacation times in recent years.
Geo-caching and a painted rock hunt named 870 Rocks were also social media phenomenons. The local bear and flower during the COVID-19 school closure went, well, viral.
Over 750 people joined the group the first 48 hours.
The bear hunt became an intentional sensation during the Coronavirus pandemic as well with children from around the world posting bear hunt videos on YouTube.
There are two ways to participate in the bear or flower hunt. First, you may put a stuffed animal or flowers on display that children may see from the street or sidewalk. Second, take your family for a stroll or drive and count how many you find. If you’d like, report your finds with photos on the Facebook page.
Local businessman Aubrey Zachery invited 100 of his friends to the Facebook group. Had seen enough Coronavirus whining and complaining in his social media news feed “I saw it and immediately wanted to get my children and grandchildren involved in it,” said Zachery. “I wanted something positive for them to do.”
Amber Meek took her two children on a slow drive through a neighborhood off Gammon Road for the family’s first stuffed animal safari. She heard about the hunt from a church friend.
They found 76 fuzzy toys or flower displays at houses after a short time. The older child helped the younger make finds and tally the numbers. Mom eliminated electronic distractions and the kids took well to spotting out the from the car window.
“I told them no electronics, we just took a pencil and a paper to add them up,” said Meek. “They saw pigs, pandas and sock monkeys as well as the bears and flowers. It raised their interest.”
The bear hunt caught on with businesses and government offices too. Banks restaurants and even West Memphis City Hall set up a display.
The Boys and Girls Club of Crittenden County added to the fun on Friday. Noting cancelled Easter egg hunts, the club offered an egg coloring sheet that could be added to window displays for the holiday.
“The bear hunts have been great for our youth thanks to the community supporting kids,” said Director Darrin McCollum. “We have an idea to brighten Easter for everyone.
Sheets were available at the club located at Worthington Park and Missouri Street in West Memphis or by sending an email with the sheet ready for printing off at home.
“Color the sheet, or make one of your own and put it anywhere people can see it from the car,” said McCollum.
The club urged families to look for the eggs and post pictures at #BGCCEggHunt from April 6- April 12.
Photos by John Rech
