The Freedom Bears of Philadelphia celebrated their first anniversary October 7^th, 2001 as the club has grown to over sixty members.

The club�s first Social and Introduction to the community was held December 9^th, 2000 at the Bike Stop in Center City Philadelphia. It was a small turnout of a hand-full of men with the same interest in mind�getting together with and getting to know other local bears in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

The club was actually the brainchild of club President Mike Piro. �After spending many years participating in various bear events around the country, I decided that Philadelphia needed a bear club where guys could get together, hang out without being �on� and have fun in a comfortable atmosphere,� said Piro. Mike went on to explain that Philadelphia was not represented in the Bear community at large and decided with his partner and five other friends that something must be done to fill the void. Mike started contacting other Bear clubs in the country the previous year, October of 1999, gathering information and putting into action what they thought other men in the area would want��a club that not only promised the hope of socialization, but also an organization that would give back to the community,� said Piro.

That first Social one year ago in December 2000 brought out our first two members. The club began to take shape in January 2001 with the first �BEAR Meet� club meeting of the New Year and by February another ten new members and the first edition of the club�s newsletter�the Freedom Bears Sentinel.

The club made visits to the Philadelphia International Auto Show and the world-renowned Philadelphia Flower Show at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA and a visit to Harrisburg that night for the �Burgh Bears Bar Night� at a local bar in town as well as the successful turnout of over fifty fellow bears for our first Summer �event� of the season, �Tubing Down the Delaware�A BEAR EXPLORATION��guys from other clubs in the North East tubing down the Delaware River in Bucks County, PA on a hot summer afternoon in August. The club has quickly gained a favorable reputation as a great group of guys who enjoy each other and meeting others as well.

As we round out 2001 we have held two very successful bar nights at the Bike Stop in Center City Philadelphia as well as the rollout of our own Freedom Bears merchandise at www.cafepress.com/freedombears

2001 was our �growing� year�2002 promises to be even more exciting as we see our first elections for officers in the New Year, ski the slopes of Montage Mountain in Northeastern Pennsylvania in January, and welcome our 70^th member in early �02 as well as the expansion of our second Summer tubing event for �02 with the likelihood of the addition of a cookout afterwards at a local park! For the most up-to-date information on club news and events go to www.freedombears.org