Book Launch Party Success
Friday, October 11, 2024- MacGregor Downs Country Club, Cary, NC
We recently celebrated the launch of the first two books in The Bedtime Brigade series, Ella Elephant and the Playdate and Super Bear and the Big Move! Great fun was had by guests of all ages, enjoying lots of food and fellowship and learning more about the series and the Huggable Heroes.
Younger readers dove into word searches and coloring activities focusing on the stories, and for them, the evening’s highlight was surely listening to readings from each book!
Guests were excited to grab signed copies of the books, as well as some party swag, including bookmarks, pens, and stickers!
Because the mission of The Bedtime Brigade is aimed at helping children and families in need, and the timing of the Launch Party itself coincided with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, guests also had the opportunity to purchase donation book bundles that would be used to help create ‘Comfort Boxes’ for children in Asheville, NC who were displaced by the hurricane. We were proud to contribute a total of 52 books and 52 Huggable Hero plush toys to this effort, spearheaded by Hive Mind Therapy!
Raffle baskets containing the books and related goodies elevated the fun!
Guests were treated to a behind the scenes look at how each book came to life, as well as to insights about future plans for The Bedtime Brigade and its characters. For example, everyone learned that the sibling story focus in Ella Elephant and the Playdate was inspired by author Jennifer Pegram’s children, and as such, is dedicated to them. Additionally, one of the true standout moments of this event, according to Jennifer, was connecting the dots leading to the development of the book, Super Bear and the Big Move. She spoke about the dedication of this book to Eyes Ears Nose and Paws (EENP), which is the organization that trained her mobility service dog, Leonard. Leonard is proud to be featured in the story, to have official co-author status, and to have sparked the concept behind the series itself! EENP’s Executive Director, Maria Ikenberry, spoke on behalf of the organization, and several additional staff members, clients, and pups attended to show their support. (The pups even had their own party swag—pumpkin dog treats and squeaker ball toys!) Leonard also approves of the plush Huggable Heroes as dog toys, FYI!
Future donation efforts will target patients receiving care at participating children’s hospitals. Our goal is to give The Bedtime Brigade and its Huggable Heroes a presence within as many children’s hospitals as possible, so that children everywhere can experience increased comfort and care at a time when it is needed most.
It was wonderful to witness the milestone moment of The Bedtime Brigade and its Huggable Heroes reporting for duty and ‘blasting off’ into the world to comfort children!
