Herndon’s new employee is pretty good at hide and seek and loves nature, but his email skills are lacking without opposable thumbs.
But Elden the Bear is the Town of Herndon’s newest summer hire and has already been dubbed “Employee of the Month” — despite the fact he doesn’t officially start on the job until July 1.
Reid Okoniewski, the marketing and communications specialist with the Town of Herndon’s Parks and Recreation Department, announced that Elden the Bear had been hired as a part-time summer worker. His start date coincides with Parks and Recreation Month.
Herndon’s new parks and recreation ambassador is, of course, inspired by the real bear that roamed the town’s neighborhoods before being safely relocated to a less suburban locale.
“We won’t have an actual bear. We will not have a bear suit or anything like that,” Okoniewski said.
Okoniewski said Herndon’s Elden, dressed in his ranger hat, T-shirt and equipped with a backpack full of summer activity plans, will be represented by a metal sign that’s currently being designed and constructed.
Among the activities already planned, Okoniewski said, is “something called ‘Where’s Elden.’ It’s going to be a community-wide hide and go seek,” where participants can hunt for Elden’s sign in area parks, the community center or at some town events.
You never know where he’ll show up, but Okoniewski said there will be some hints and people can head out and snap photos to post on social media when he’s spotted.
Elden will have weekly safety and wellness tips as well. With “Elden Says,” Okoniewski said the bear might advise you to stay hydrated in this hot weather or make sure you’re putting on sunscreen.
And, perhaps taking a cue from another famous bear who urges Americans to prevent forest fires, Elden may advise: “Leave those sparklers at home for the Fourth of July,” Okoniewski said.
There will also be online activities including coloring pages devised by Elden, who has apparently got an artistic bent, but won’t be handling email duties just yet.
“He doesn’t have access to email, unfortunately, so we don’t have an email set up for him,” Okoniewski said.
Asked what about the visit from the young bear prompted the town to launch a new outreach campaign featuring his image, Okoniewski said: “He’s kind of just been that unofficial community member, even though we only had him in town for a few hours.”
He added that it’s exciting when a wild animal shows up, “especially something as big and bold as a bear.”
Before Elden showed up in Herndon to hang out in some neighborhood trees, he’d already paid a Memorial Day visit to a Prince George’s County neighborhood, where wildlife officials helped him down from a tree with the aid of a dart gun.
When Virginia officials caught up with him to show him to a new home in rural Virginia, he’d already had a following. Maybe that’s what helped him snag that award of “Employee of the Month” for July when it’s still June, Okoniewski suggested.
“We haven’t even hit July yet, but he’s already made an impression with all of us,” he said.
