Operation Bear Care takes place once a year, yet serves the community year-round. Through a one-evening event, the Optimist Club collects enough stuffed animals to fill the trunks of first responders so that when a policeman or fireman comes upon a traumatic event that involves a child, be it a fire, motor vehicle accident, or abusive situation, they have something huggable to give to the young victim.
It is such an easy program to perform, and while the Boise Optimist Club can collect all they need in one day, it is totally scalable. Take a day, week or month, the key is to get the public involved by asking them to donate a clean, new, or even gently used, non-themed stuffed animal to the cause.
The Boise Noon Optimist Club has very close relationship with Boise State University Athletics. Their Operation Bear Care actually takes place during a home basketball game and thousands of stuffed animals are collected. When it began approximately fifteen years ago, the fans would actually throw the animals to the center of the court at half-time, creating a mound of fluff to be collected by the club. With a little more respect for the heroic service that the bears provide, the donations are now collected as the fans enter the arena. They are boxed up and given to the police and fire departments throughout the valley.
Over the years, as others have taken to collecting stuffed animals in their organizations, I have heard the Optimist Club consider letting the project go. However, the simplicity of the project, combined with the joy of giving something that will bring a smile to a child at a most difficult time, has made the project a club favorite. I predict the Boise Noon Optimist Club will be performing Operation Bear Care for many years to come.
