As of late, I have been collecting Funko Pop! dolls. Well, not in the “collector” sense, since I don’t keep the boxes. Instead, they are either characters I really like, or bring back fond memories. The one I grabbed at GameStop today is of the later type:
Why do I have fond memories of Smokey the Bear? Because I grew up in Canaan, New Hampshire, and either knew the first NH Smokey the Bear (or possibly his son…but he was an older gentleman, regardless). Here is a post about the first guy in NH to play Smokey, from a Facebook post (the next two images are the complete post):
I don’t know if you read the left article, but part of the reason I am fond of Smokey is ‘cause I was one of the Junior Rangers and can still remember standing on a rock in the middle of the green, pine woods, wearing the metal badge and feeling on top of the world.
Those were different times. God blessed me and still does. But, I especially feel blessed by my childhood.