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Kane had the pleasure of meeting Kim Hebert and her celebrity Honor Bear today. Kane often sees Kim and the Honor Bear at several veteran events he attends. In fact, the Honor Bear is cool enough to ride on a motorcycle.
The Honor Bear is quite sacred and too important for Kane to touch even though the honor bear is actually full of stuffing.
Kane admired the Honor Bear from a distance since he serves as a memorial to numerous veterans and first responders. You see the honor bear wears with pride several dog tags, ribbons, pins, and reminders of our local heroes, military and first responders that have passed.
He carries with him the memories of local heroes whose names are so important to say, and lives are important to remember and celebrate. Kim said, ‘when you carry the Honor Bear you are representing the lives of the veteran and first responder lives lost.’ As Kim said,” it’s like the Honor Bear invites people to tell me about their veteran.”
Kim started carrying the Honor Bear in 2016 a few years after the death of Marine PFC. Eric D. Currier who was killed in action on February 17, 2010 in Afghanistan.
His family was a close friend spanning back to elementary school. Eric Currier Memorial pin was the first to be added to Honor Bear as well as Army SPC Justin Rollins, USMC CPL Brandon Garabrant, and Army SPC Ryan McDermott. In 2021 The Honor Bear Project became a non – profit agency.
So, Kane asked, “how does the Honor Bear work its magic. “Well people ask, Tell me about the Bear. The overall response is people wish to connect to and be part of the mission to have a visual description of our heroes lost.
Gold Star families have provided pins and medals important to them to be placed on the bear so it may be displayed for the community to see. Although Kane thinks he has a busy schedule, the honor bear travels to cemeteries to visit local heroes, attends veteran fundraisers, veteran motorcycle rides, and military and first responder ceremonies.
The Honor Bear project also brings veterans and first responders together at no cost to them on fishing trips. During 2024, over 200 veterans and first responders have participated in the chartered fishing trips. Kim explained that the trips are an opportunity for individuals with shared life experience to spend the day together and connect. This provides a welcoming and safe environment for collaboration.
Kane learned that the Honor Bear Project currently displays 4 Suicide Awareness Flag Displays. The flags represent the number of veterans and first responders we lose to suicide each month.
At each site Kim and her team display 660 American Flags to represent the number of veterans we lose to suicide each month, 1 large American flag to represent the 40 plus Active Duty, national guard, and reservists each month, and 5 large flags to represent the 120 first responders we lose each month to suicide.
These displays not only honor the service of these heroes, they provide a visual representation of suicide awareness in the community. Each flag represents a person who is no longer here that deserves to be honored and remembered. Besides the flags, there is a banner letting you know what the flags stand for.
The suicide crisis hotline is also on display. Kane wants you to know that the crisis hotline number is 988 for help.
Kane ended his meeting with Kim admiring the Honor Bear. It is amazing that the Honor Bear displays more than 100 of the heroes’ names. What is important is to remember and honor how they lived. Donations can be mailed to: the Honor Bear Project, PO Box 7225, Laconia, NH 03247. Venmo is also an option @The- Honor- Bear.
Kane Peaslee, Columnist Valley Patriot … Woof ◊