Date: Fri 18-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JEFF

Quick Words:

stuffed-animal-Rosey-Air-Force

Full Text:

A Stuffed Bear With A Thick Passport

(with photo)

BY JEFF WHITE

It's really too bad that stuffed animals can't earn frequent flyer miles for

traveling around the world, because the United States Air Force has just

returned Rosey Bear to a group of second and third graders at St Rose after

such a journey.

Rosey Bear was second grader Gregory Demenna's gift to his teacher, Mrs

Porabo. The students thought of the idea to send Rosey Bear to the far reaches

of the world, and the Air Force proved to be the best vehicle for such an

endeavor.

In early April the students saddled Rosey Bear with a diary, and dropped her

off at Stewart Air Force base in Newburgh, New York, where she was picked up

on a flight to England. Her method of travel thereafter was quite simple: she

would be dropped off at various scheduling offices, where she waited until

another crew picked her up.

In roughly three months of travel, Rosey Bear touched down in England, Spain,

Italy, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. During the crisis in Kosovo, Rosey Bear was

in Albania.

The best part of the journey was that the St Rose students had the opportunity

to read about the exploits of Rosey Bear abroad. Pilots took the time to write

in Rosey Bear's diary, recording where she was, the people she met, the types

of planes she flew in, and what she saw from the air. One touching tale, from

a military camp in Albania, reported that she brought much needed smiles to

the faces of lonely troops.

She even came back with gifts: a newspaper from Kuwait, trophies from overseas

squadrons, postcards, foreign coins, candies from Germany, and various other

trinkets.

Rosey Bear did have a counterpart in Mr Tiger, another stuffed pet the

students sent out across the world. Mr Tiger, however, did not make it to as

many countries as Rosey Bear, landing in Alaska, Italy, Kuwait, and Saudi

Arabia. Mr Tiger did have some company on that trip to Saudi Arabia, as the US

Air Force transported a pack of German shepherds for guard duties on the

ground.

The students spent the morning of Rosey's return listening rapturously to her

tales of adventures, penned by numerous American servicemen. What the students

had to show were countless foreign souvenirs, little slices of different

cultures, and a bear a bit more worn for the jet lag.