Greeting Bears

standing sentry for 30 years!

by Diane Parnell

Where did they come from and why are they there? Out-oftowners ask this question, but even many locals don’t know the history of the bear statues at either end of Los Osos.

The idea came from Sylvia Smith, a long-time Los Osos resident and community activist who was inspired by similar bear statues she saw along the Klamath River in Northern California. Smith, now deceased, thought that a town known as The Valley of the Bears should have grizzlies as their mascot. She commissioned then-local artist Paula Zima for the project and rallied locals to donate to the cause. Zima created a fiberglass full-size mockup and presented it on the lawn of a restraurant in Baywood Park on November 24th, 1991 to the excitement of the gathered donors. The bears were then cast in concrete and installed in 1992. “Originally they were to be simple cast concrete, but the casting, done in another state and out of my hands, turned out quite badly,” Zima recalls. “I had to do a great deal of patching and then painted both bears to conceal the patches.” The bears are easy to spot because of the paint and their formidable 42” height. One is located on the bridge on South Bay Boulevard, the other on Los Osos Valley Road. The pair has even found their way into the listings in Roadsideamerica.com attractions, drawing visitors who post fun photos of themselves with The Grizzly Greeters. If you haven't seen them for yourself, go take a look!

nominate your favorite south SLO county Business of the Month!

Who would you nominate as a Business of the Month for South San Luis Obispo County? Think about local businesses that contribute to the economy, provide jobs, and demonstrate leadership. Many of these local leaders also invest time and money by giving back to our community. Because this deserves recognition and celebration, South County Chambers of Commerce (SCCC) honors a Business of the Month. The Business of the Month is recognized in the Chamber’s monthly newsletter “South County Business News,” on social media, and at the Chamber’s monthly breakfast. The SCCC Businesses of the Month are automatic nominees for the SCCC Business of the Year Award. The SCCC Business of the Year is celebrated at the Annual Dinner and Recognition Awards in the fall. Please help us choose by nominating a local company. Visit southcountychambers.com and click on the Resources tab at the top of the page to nominate a business.

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