Where, oh where, is Barry Bear! Is he here? Is he there?

Missing mascot last seen roving Brookhaven

Brookhaven, GA, April 3, 2020 -- Calling all kids! The Brookhaven Police Department (BPD) has issued an all points bulletin seeking their beloved officer, Barry Bear. He was last seen rambling through Brookhaven, spreading cheer to boys and girls. Can you help us locate him?

The City-wide Barry Bear Hunt, sponsored by the Brookhaven Parks and Recreation Department and the BPD will run from April 6-17. Residents are asked to put a stuffed teddy bear in home windows, on porches or somewhere visible in their front yard. Then, from a safe distance, parents can help their youngsters search for the bears via car rides, walks, biking, any number of ways.

With kids out of school and so many families practicing social distancing due to coronavirus, this hunt is being organized as a diversion for Brookhaven residents with cabin fever. It is modeled after similar “bear hunts” being held in communities around the world, providing a sense of community.

“We thought this would be a fun way to escape the boredom of quarantine and provide an adventure for Brookhaven kids,” said Mallory Izbicki, Parks and Recreation Events Coordinator. “It is a silent, visual way to unite neighborhoods sharing the message that we are all in this together. Children can walk or drive around with their parents, hunt for the teddy bears, and keep track of how many they find. If they want to give the hunt a diverse, safari feeling, people who may not have teddy bears but other stuffed animals can display these instead. Barry Bear has many friends in the animal kingdom!”

If stuffed animals are not available, photos of any bear can be hung in the wind or posted on the front door or some may choose to paint visible bears on windows and posters. To find Barry Bear art that kids can color, go to the BPD Facebook page daily (www.facebook.com/BrookhavenPD/) between April 6-17 to print out pages from the Barry Bear coloring book.  Everyone is also encouraged to utilize social media to provide bear clues or share photos of Barry Bear and his animal friends. Photos of bear sightings can be submitted to #BrookhavenBarryHunt on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram to be shared with the public.

“Help us find Barry Bear and his friends,” grinned Izbicki. “Without him and his friends, things are just … unbearable!”