Traveling Teddies return, Open House Monday

by Mary Zielinski
The Traveling teddies from Kerri Bell’s second grade class at Kalona Elementary School are back and will share their adventures with the students during an Open House at the school Monday, April 27, from 8:45 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Parents and friends may attend from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
This marks the 9th consecutive year that the fuzzy ambassadors have journeyed far and wide to personalize geography, current history, social studies and cultural exploration for their young owners. The teddies get sent in early September to one location with details about the 2nd grade project and are due back in early April.
Where they go and what they “see, hear and experience” depends on where their “hosts” take them. In the case of Buddy, the bear owned by Lubov Kazakoo that included seeing Barack Obama become the 44th President of the United States, a trip to New York City and a vacation in Mexico. There also were visits to the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and the United States Capitol building in Washington, DC. Like all the bears, Buddy returned with photographs and souvenirs (including sand from a Mexican beach and DC Metro tickets) from his travels.
There also is a written summary (a kind of travel diary) of places seen and people met done by the different hosts.
Buddy also spent time in Kalona where he attended the annual Fall Festival. He also got to shop at Coralridge Mall.
Since the program’s inception, every bear has made it home, although “a few were later than others,” said Bell.