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ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Walmart South employees in Rochester were told a bear was at the front entrance Friday, April 2.

When they walked outside, they saw 鈥淵ammy Bear鈥� with a speaker and a microphone, singing near the door.

The man in the costume, 50-year-old Charles Jackson, of Rochester, watched as shocked impressions turned into smiles once they learned why he was really there.

鈥淚t was a joy,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he lady came out that worked at Walmart, and she actually thought there was a bear, and as she came out, she鈥檚 like, 鈥業 wasn鈥檛 expecting this!鈥� ... The mission is to bring hope and to bring comfort in the lives of those who have been affected by the coronavirus and the injustice, you know, that鈥檚 going on, not just in our community, but around the nation.鈥�

That's the same mission Jackson has for Ministry of Good Works, which he started in 2013 after serving a three-year sentence on drug charges. The group, made up of former convicts and drug addicts, aims to help teach young people about their mistakes in the past.

鈥淢y ministry is about the children being aware of drugs, guns and gangs, because I used to be in it,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淏ut I had another chance to change my life around and to affect other people in the community, no matter what race, creed, or whatever.鈥�

Contributed

Finding another way to spread this message in the community is what sparked Jackson鈥檚 idea for Yammy Bear.

He said the name came to him roughly a month ago, and he donned the costume for the first time two weeks ago in Rochester. He鈥檚 made appearances at locations such as Kwik Trip and Walmart in the area, and has gone to the Mall of America and George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis as well. Wherever Yammy Bear goes, he鈥檚 been well received, Jackson said.

鈥淲hen we went to the George Floyd Memorial, everybody was like, 鈥楥an we take pictures? We need this around here. We need some of this happiness and joy,鈥� 鈥� he said. 鈥淚 love all people, always have. And just my thing is, don't pull each other down, lift each other up. Aren鈥檛 we tired of pulling each other down?鈥�

Yammy Bear has also made house calls in Rochester and the Twin Cities, stopping at a Rochester girl鈥檚 birthday party when he heard no one was going to attend, and visiting a family in Minneapolis that was 鈥済oing through a hard time.鈥�

Jackson has larger aspirations for Yammy Bear, though, as he wants to reach as many people as he can, he said. He plans, along with his partner, CarolAnn Marie, to make stops in 104 cities and 197 Kwik Trips with Yammy Bear to greet people and continue to spread his message.

And for Jackson, that鈥檚 what Yammy Bear is all about. Whether it鈥檚 making a house call, stopping at a Kwik Trip, or visiting with people at the George Floyd Memorial, he wants to be there for his community and continue to help it grow.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the smile on their heart and being a supportive person,鈥� he said.