The Legacy continues: 100-year old BRHS bear fully restored
The Leader (Tremonton) · Garland, Utah
A crowd of more than 150 alumni, students, and community residents gathered inside **Bear River High School** in Garland for the official unveiling ceremony of the school's historic 100-year-old cement mascot bear statue, completely restored to its original glory.
### Centennial Mascot Unveiling
Originally commissioned by the BRHS **Class of 1926**, the historic cement casting stood as a sentinel greeting generations of students before being placed in storage during facility renovations. Six years ago, during their 55th class reunion, members of the **Class of 1964** formed the *Bring Back the Bear Committee* after locating the statue outdoors behind the school:
* **Leadership**: Spearheaded by committee leader **Marianne Matney Valenta** and project manager **Ronald Zollinger**, the initiative rallied more than 100 private community donors.
* **Administrative Support**: BRHS Principal **David Lee** granted formal authorization to undertake the project, calling the statue a foundational anchor of school identity and tradition.
### Community Craftsmanship & Logistics
Restoring the heavy concrete statue required extensive volunteer and commercial expertise from around the valley:
* **Excavation & Transport**: Henry Thompson and David Misrasi utilized heavy excavation equipment and jackhammers to safely lift the statue from an 18-inch cement slab. **Bott & Sons Monument** of Brigham City transported the delicate piece across four separate logistical trips.
* **Artistic Restoration**: Artisan **Val Lewis** painstakingly peeled away decades of layered paint, repairing concrete blemishes and restoring fine structural details over many months.
* **New Home**: Beau Peterson of Steel Coated Epoxy Floors completed concrete finishing work for the mascot's new permanent indoor home directly inside the school's main entryway by the administrative offices.
During the culminating moment of the ceremony, Valenta and Zollinger joined Principal Lee, committee member Robert Merrill, and BRHS Student Body President **Savannah Corbridge** in lifting a crimson veil to present the restored mascot to cheers from attendees.