Submitted by Navy Federal Credit Union.
Nearly 40% of military families experience at least six months of family separation every year and a half, according to data from AmeriCorps, an entity of the U.S. federal government.
Military children find these separations challenging, as deployments send mothers and fathers far away for a prolonged period of time. Last month, during Military Appreciation Month, Navy Federal Credit Union set out to ease this burden a bit through a partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop where they hosted local families at Navy branches in Lakewood, Washington and Oceanside, Calif.
Servicemember Sean Tarpley, whose two children were among the over 300 attendees at last month’s events, recognizes the sacrifice his family makes while he’s away serving his country. He believes that the opportunity to create a bear with his kids, complete with a personalized message for them, will help remind his children that no matter the physical distance between them, he’s always there for his family. “It’ll be a nice reminder for both of them that I’m always around, whether [or not] I’m physically there,” Tarpley said of the Bear Brigade partnership. “If it’s just them hearing my voice, I’m always available and always there.
“My son had a hard time when I was first [deployed]. If we would’ve had these [bears at that time], I think it would have made it easier.”
Lakewood and Oceanside both have a strong military presence. Lakewood, specifically, is home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which opened as the largest military installation in the western United States in 2010 and today supports more than 40,000 U.S. servicemembers.
“Military Appreciation Month serves as an important reminder of servicemembers’ ongoing commitment to their country,” said Jesse Border, a Regional AVP of Branch Operations at Navy Federal. “As an Army Veteran who had young kids during my years of Active-Duty service, I know the immense sacrifices every family member makes when a parent is deployed. That transition, of course, is particularly difficult for children whose parents might be sent thousands of miles away from home.
“Given those experiences in my previous career, I can personally appreciate the purpose that Bear Brigade serves, providing a unique way for families to connect with their loved ones, regardless of the physical distance between them.”
These “Bear Brigade” events offered military parents and children an opportunity to build a bear of their own—free of charge—appended with a prerecorded message for children to play back while their loved ones are overseas.
When conceptualizing the idea of an event that could give back to the children of servicemembers, Navy Federal quickly identified Build-A-Bear as a potential partner, given its reputation as an institution dedicated to similar values and experiences for families.
“Build-A-Bear is proud to have partnered with Navy Federal Credit Union to make the Bear Brigade events come to life to celebrate Military Appreciation Month,” said Chris Hurt, Chief Operating Officer at Build-A-Bear Workshop. “We know that the Build-A-Bear experience has the power to add a little more heart to life in a unique way, and we are thrilled we were able to share this joy with military families.”
Between the two Bear Brigade events, approximately 300 bears were taken home to military families. Beyond spending time assembling the complimentary bears, guests listened to music, sat for face paintings, and took photos with Sammie the Sea Otter, Navy Federal’s mascot.
The Bear Brigade will make stops in other communities around the country in the months and years ahead, continuing to deploy joy to servicemembers, Veterans, and their families.
