Operation Brown Bear

A small gesture can mean a lot, especially in troubled times. John and Laurie Luitgaarden can attest to this. They’ve given comfort to thousands of Children’s Miracle Network patients, all with the help of a little brown bear.

When John and Laurie’s son Ben was in preschool, he came home one day with a brown teddy bear. His teacher told him to come back with a story featuring the bear.

John made use of his skills as a pilot to take the bear on a five-day journey. He took photos during the trip and wrote a story called "Brown Bear Goes Flying," which he presented to Ben’s class wearing his pilot uniform. This story served as the seed of a future idea.

As the owners of Wexford Ace Hardware in Wexford, Pa., the Luitgaarden family is always looking for ways to help out with the Ace Foundation. "Flash forward a ton of years and Ben’s flying now, and we’ve got this cute little airplane, and I’m thinking, ‘We have to do something special,’" said Laurie.

That’s when they remembered Brown Bear—and Operation Brown Bear was born.

At Wexford Ace, customers can sponsor a bear for $5. When the Luitgaardens collect enough bears to fill a plane, John and Ben fly it to a Children’s Miracle Network hospital. They’re greeted by families who could really use a smile and a bear hug.

"The Luitgaardens are just so welcoming and warm. They go above and beyond, quite literally," said Samara Silverstein, Cause Marketing program manager at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Whether they’re working at their Ace Hardware store or making a Brown Bear delivery, the Luitgaarden family is always ready to help.

"I think being helpful is about listening. I think we need to hear what people’s needs are. Give them what they need and not expect anything in return. I like to be able to do that because I think I’m really lucky," said Laurie.