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NANCYROBERTSON•PORTSMOUTH,VAON PARADE
Nancy (left) and her friend Linda
donned Smokey cub outfits to
ride in the back of the state
forestry truck for the Azalea
Festival in Norfolk, VA, in 1972.SMOKEY BEAR HAS BEEN
a part of my life for as long as I can
remember. My father, William Pierce,
started working with the Virginia
Department of Forestry in the 1950s.
One of his favorite jobs was running
the Smokey Bear programs in the local
elementary schools.
Sometimes he was the presenter,
teaching children conservation lessons
through games, and sometimes he was
the one wearing the Smokey Bear outfit.
He was in many parades and festivals
as Smokey Bear, handing out rulers,
coloring sheets and the comic booksLIKE FATHER, LIKE CUB
that told the story of how Smokey
came to be the representative of the
U.S. Forest Service.
When we were old enough, my friend
Linda and I were pressed into service,
wearing the Smokey cub outfits to many
parades and gatherings.
To complete the circle, my son
Sean was hired by the Department of
Forestry about 55 years after my father
started, and—you guessed it—he was
immediately asked to wear the Smokey
Bear outfit to local events.
That’s three generations that can’t
get enough of Smokey Bear.TheForestServiceis
carefulaboutpreserving
Smokey’simage—somuchso,
it hasa longlistof
whatpeopleshouldand
shouldn’tdowhilewearing
a SmokeyBearcostume.DOweara SmokeyBear
costumeonlytopromote
wildfireprevention.
DOremainanonymous
whilewearingthe
costume.
DOexpresssincerityand
interestbymovingpaws,
headandlegs.
DOletothers,especially
children,initiatea hug,
paw-shakeorother
greeting.
DOlimitappearancesto
15 or 20 minutestoavoid
heat-relatedillness.
DOkeepcostumeout
ofsightbeforeand
afteruse.DON’Tbephotographed
withoutwearingSmokey’s
head.Andnopictures
whilegettinginorout
ofcostume.
DON’Tclownaround
ormakevulgargestures.
Nevercompromise
Smokey’sintegrity.
DON’Tspeak.Smokey’s
uniformedescortshould
dothetalking.
DON’Tdrinkalcoholor
useillegalsubstances.
Samegoesfortheescort.
DON’T pack away a
sweat-soaked costume.
Let it air out.Costume Fitting