Community Corner

Traveling Bears Awareness Program Visits Wantagh Saturday

The trivia night will offer refreshments, prizes, a 50-50 and more.

On Saturday, the Brotherhood of Temple B’nai Torah will welcome the Traveling Bears Awareness Program that support children with disabilities.

The trivia night will begin at 7 p.m., and the cost is $20 per person. There will be refreshments, prizes and more. 

The Traveling Awareness Bears is the brainchild of 10-year-old Elijah with the help of his mom and extended family. Elijah, who was diagnosed with a stroke in utero, would see colorful awareness ribbons for lots of other illnesses, but none for him.

He wanted more than a ribbon. Elijah and his mom Jennifer, with inspiration from “Flat Stanley” and also the pediatric stroke awareness quilt, came up with the idea of a traveling bear that would visit children who had suffered pediatric stokes.

With a bear from Elijah’s room, a history based upon Elijah’s story and a t-shirt made by grandma, Pat Bearowitz was born.

Thanks to Facebook and an overwhelming response, Pat Bearowitz with journal and passport in paw, started visiting children who had suffered pediatric strokes. As Pat visited each child, parents filled in his journal and made him new clothes. With requests coming from all over world, Pat needed a sister.

Patricia, right after birth, was on her way to England. Pat and his sister Patricia wear leg braces. Due to the overwhelming response, Pat and Patricia now have a younger sibling named Patrick.

Soon there were more bears visiting children with disabilities, disorders and syndromes all over the world. The current 43 bears – 2 or 3 for each pediatric diagnosis - travel from one family to another. It symbolizes that no one is alone - not the child, not the parent.

According to Jennifer, there will be six bears at Saturday's event, and while Elijah won't be attending, he's prerecorded a message to supporters that will air.

"I'm very proud of him, because we started with one bear and one diagnosis," she said. "Now we have 122 bears and more than 50 diagnoses. We've come a long way in such a short time."

For more on The Traveling Bears, visit their website by clicking here.


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