NORTH SALT LAKE, Utah — Teddy bears are taking over Utah neighborhoods by the hundreds, giving people an activity while maintaining social distancing.
Taking a stroll through the Foothills neighborhood in North Salt Lake, it won’t take long before you see a teddy bear… or a hundred. They aren’t hard to find, just check windows, trees, lawns, cars, driveways – you name it!
“You have a bear, and if you don’t, print one off and stick it in your window,” said Foothills resident, Jennifer Richter. “We’re totally into it!”
It’s somewhat of a teddy bear take-over, and the hunters are out for prey!
“We’re riding our bikes to the bear hunt!” one girl said as she and her sister set out to find bears.
“Mia! You missed one!” Another girl on a bicycle shouted as she pointed at a house.
The idea is to bring the neighborhood together to have fun, while maintaining social distancing.
“It’s a great idea to get people out of their houses and to feel like we’re still friends,” Richter said.
This neighborhood jumped on the bear train after a community leader spread out flyers asking people to join in on the fun. Any neighborhood kids who found more than ten bears were even awarded a prize.
“Four, five, six, I can’t even count them!” Another girl shouted to her friends as they rode their bikes and scooters to a neighborhood house. “58 teddy bears! There are 58 teddy bears!” She shouted once they finally finished counting the massive display.
The trend is spreading across the beehive state and country – prompting people to pull out the bears for a growling good, socially distant time.
“We’re cooped up and going stir crazy!” laughed resident Jeri Bischoff.
“It’s just fun for the kids and it’s fun for us too,” Jeri said. She and her husband saw 33 bears on one street, by the time FOX 13 caught up with them again, they had seen 137.
It doesn’t take much to participate, just a bear (or picture of a bear) and a place to put it.
“We’ve only lived here for like two months,” said Kate Fontenot as she drew an elaborate teddy bear in sidewalk chalk. “We’re actually meeting neighbors this way.”
Giving the neighborhood something warm and fuzzy to make residents feel warm and fuzzy too.
“I think it’s wonderful, we’re all together and it’s going to be okay, we’re going to pull through,” Richter said.
