Barran's Bears

Here is what "Barrans Bears" is all about and how it got started with just a simple post from my cousin, Karen Labarre Birdsall on August 7, 2016 at 5:43 a.m. ---

This past Friday my dad took a horrible fall (face plant) into the street. An ambulance was called where we rushed him to east Jefferson. (He is fine). A Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Officer also came to the house. Deputy Turner Barran. About 45 minutes after I was in the ER with dad Deputy Barran came and found me and handed me a get well card for dad! This is what the majority of our law enforcement is all about!!!! I am trying to find him so I can do something for him in return! Please share this in order to help me reach out to him!

My cousin, Karen, DID indeed find Deputy Barran but he did not want anything for himself.  Here was his request:

Good Morning Mrs. Karen. I noticed that you have quite a network of people who seem very caring and supportive. I was hoping you could help me with a small project I have been trying to launch.

I respond to a lot of calls for Domestic Violence where often children are present. It's been proven that teddy bears help children in stressful situations.

I am looking for donations of new or gently used teddy bears that I can provide to children at these types of calls.

If you know anyone who may be willing to participate it would be greatly appreciated. My goal is to eventually have a bear or two in every patrol vehicle. For now if I can at least get them for my shift it would be a start.

I've attempted to get in contact with Build-A-Bear who will actually provide little certificates with the bears name on it. They also have a bear dressed like an officer. We were thinking of using a play on my last name and calling them "Barrans Bears".I think a standard brown bear would work for both boys and girls. These bears would only be used in cases where violence or possibly an injury to a child occurred unless we received overwhelming donations of bears and could use them more frequently.

If you feel that this is something doable please pass it on!

To date, 10/04/16, Deputy Barran has over 300 bears thanks to everyone’s generosity.  We have drop off points at several locations throughout Metairie and one on the Westbank BUT I have heard personally from SO many people that they would LOVE to contribute but they have not yet done it.  In today's crazy, busy world, everyone has time constraints and so we figured THIS may be a way to let everyone donate without the hassle of leaving your home.  I hope this proves to be true.  Our plans for the money would be to purchase bears in bulk from one of the wholesale companies that I have contacted.  They are willing to give us a discount on the bears AND free shipping too!

PLEASE HELP US "BEAR" ALL OF THE JPSO UNITS WITH BEARS FOR  ALL THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS! WITH YOUR HELP THESE KIDS WILL HAVE SOME COMFORT WHEN THE OFFICERS ARRIVE! THANK YOU & HUGS TO YOU ALL!