Rogers Scholars Ambassadors and members of The Center for Rural Development staff donated a selection of new and gently used stuffed animals to the Brooklyn Bear project in memory of 10-year-old Brooklyn Smith.

Brooklyn loved teddy bears and was called “Brooklyn Bear” by her family and friends. In honor of Brooklyn’s “sweet and loving spirit,” Rogers Scholars Ambassadors and The Center staff wanted to help with this community project. The stuffed animals will be donated to local law enforcement departments, schools and other community service agencies to be given to children as a source of comfort in times of crisis or emergency situations.

Rogers Scholars Ambassadors adopted the “Brooklyn Bear” campaign as their community service project for the month of May. Several Ambassadors on college break for the summer were at The Center in Somerset on Wednesday, May 28, to collect the donated toys and get them ready to take to the Somerset Police Department, one of the participants in the program.

Jon Preneta, a 2005 Rogers Scholars and student at Berea College, donated one of his favorite childhood toys: a brown and tan bull moose with floppy ears. Jon received the stuffed animal as a gift from his father while he was reading about the formation of the Bull Moose political party. He has kept the adorable toy moose for 12 years, but is ready to donate it on behalf of a worthy cause.

“Hopefully, some kid will like it,” Jon said as he tossed the toy moose into a pile of stuffed animals. “It’s for a worthy cause.”

Molly Merrick, another 2005 Rogers Scholars, couldn’t part with any of her childhood stuffed animals for sentimental reasons so she made several new purchases. She couldn’t resist buying a stuffed toy dog, angel bear, lion and pink elephant to donate to the Brooklyn Bear project.

The sophomore at Western Kentucky University said she loved her stuffed animals as a child and now she wants to give children the chance to experience that same kind of happiness.

A tag will be attached to the donated item that reads, “You have received a bear hug from the Brooklyn Bear project. You must be special! Donated in memory of Brooklyn Lee Smith.”

“All of our stuffed animals are special because they are going to a good cause,” said Rogers Scholars Ambassador Amy Puerto of Somerset.

The Rogers Scholars Ambassadors are made up of former graduates of Rogers Scholars, a youth leadership program founded by U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, KY-05, to promote opportunities for young people in The Center’s 42-county service area of Southern and Eastern Kentucky. After graduation, Ambassadors continue to meet as a group, mentor other Rogers Scholars, work on community service projects and assist with Center-sponsored activities.

For more information on Rogers Scholars Ambassadors, Rogers Scholars or any of the other Center-sponsored youth programs, contact Jessica Melton, associate director of education and training, at 606-677-6000 or at jmelton@centertech.com.