Bear Buddies Offer Comfort to Grieving Buncombe County Children, Teens

ASHEVILLE, N.C., May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- If helping a grieving child makes one's heart sing, tune into this opportunity to help children and teens. Join the Heart Songs program of Four Seasons Compassion for Life as its Asheville Checkpoint kicks off its first Bear Buddy drive to benefit Buncombe families June 1-30.

"Every child who comes through our program gets to choose a teddy bear," says Susan Bumgarner, a child and teen bereavement counselor and coordinator of Heart Songs. "Every child needs something to hold when someone in their lives faces end of life."

The Bear Buddy program anticipates an increase of requests for support for grieving Buncombe County children and families, and Bumgarner wants to be ready. Though this will be the first year the program extends into Buncombe County, Heart Songs volunteers hope to gather 100 bears.

"Children feel loss deeply," says Bumgarner, "but may not have the words to express it."

Teddy bears offer comfort at a time of deeply heart-felt crisis. Law enforcement and fire departments have long used bears to give children something to hold during crisis. The Bear Buddies program extends this use to children who expect the loss of a loved one, or who have experienced that loss.

"Too often, children are the forgotten mourners," Bumgarner says.

Additionally, Teddy Bears may communicate important American ideals about compassionate leadership. Teddy Bears commemorate the 26^th U.S. president, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, who once demanded members of his hunting party release a bear captured and tied for sport.

Donations of new bears are welcome. To donate a Bear Buddy, Asheville-Buncombe County residents may visit the following locations:

Four Seasons-Checkpoint, 373 Biltmore Avenue; Appalachian Vintner; Diamond Brand; Mast General Store; Fresh Market; Audubon Apartments; OP Taylor, Biltmore Park; Ingles, Skyland and Fairview; Fire House Subs, Long Shoals Road; and Weirbridge Village Apartments.

For information on Heart Songs, contact Susan Bumgarner at sbumgarner@fourseasonscfl.org. Learn more about Four Seasons Compassion for Life, hospice or palliative care in western North Carolina, or bereavement services for Buncombe County children, teens and families at http://www.fourseasonscfl.org.

IMAGE 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/13-0529-4steddy_72dpi.jpg

This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com

SOURCE Four Seasons Compassion For Life

RELATED LINKS
http://www.fourseasonscfl.org