Why UW-Parkside?
“UW-Parkside has been my home for almost 40 years. You should make it your home, you'll love it!”
--Ranger D. Bear, University Mascot
I don't recall all the details of what was a very traumatic event, but I remember enough to know that I'm one lucky cub!
Almost 40 years ago, a circus was traveling through Wisconsin on the way to Milwaukee. One of the attractions was a mother bear (my mom) and her cub (me) riding a tandem bicycle. We were quite good and there was even talk of us being called up to the big "RB" -- Ringling Brothers. Oh, but a terrible thunderstorm blew in from the west. My mom and I became separated (I'm sorry, after all these years I still get a little ... ).
The circus continued north, I guess, and I began to roam around the neighborhood looking for food. Because I had been raised in a circus environment, I had very few survival skills. I stumbled across Thompson's Orchard with strawberries and apples -- it was great -- and near the orchard they were building a brand new university.
As you can imagine, there were a bunch of people looking for me, people with funny names like Spca, Peta, and Dnr. Anyway, a person spotted me enjoying some berries and shouted "Look at that little Ranger." I won't bore you with the details, but ... I was given a nice home in the orchard and when students started coming to Parkside, I applied for the job of mascot. When they asked me my name -- I had lost my circus performers union card in the storm -- I said, "Ranger Bear."
The rest, as they say, is history. Parkside has been my home for 40 years (people say I don't look that old ... I exercise and eat right) and the school even named the sports teams after me -- the Rangers!
C'mon by and see my university. Take it from me, you'll love it!
