Altrusa will kick off its Books and Bears project with a book signing and launch party from 5-7 p.m. Thursday in the Audrain County Courthouse community room.

The book, “Coping Skills with Books and Bears,” aims to teach children about important coping skills and introduce them to first responders. Uniformed first responders will join Altrusa at the launch party, which will also include refreshments, crafts, a reading and a teddy bear hunt.

Author Judy Kelly has worked in the health field as a recreational therapist who counseled adult psychiatric patients.

“The biggest thing is, when they’re grown adults, they have this post-traumatic stress that they’re dealing with — something that happened when they were younger — and they carry this through their whole lives,” Kelly said, adding that many of her patients were never taught how to cope with their trauma.

The idea for the Books and Bears project came about after Kelly attended an Altrusa conference in Salina, Kansas, a year and a half ago.

“I was just inspired by all these activities all the other clubs were doing and all the projects and what they were doing for their community,” Kelly said.

On her drive home, she created the concept of Al, the Altrusa bear, who would sport an Altrusa International shirt and be donated to Audrain County first responders. Because Mexico’s Altrusa chapter’s focus is literacy, Kelly decided that Al would also be a character in a children's book.

She introduced the concept to Heather Hobbs, Audrain County prosecuting attorney's investigator and co-author, who had the idea of introducing first responders in the book.

“It’s very intimidating for children to meet first responders,” Hobbs said. “We wanted it to be professionals that, in real life, children might be intimidated to meet.”

The project was funded through a grant received by Altrusa International and Altrusa International of Mexico member Georganna Shoemaker volunteered to illustrate the book for free.

“I’ve never illustrated a book before,” Shoemaker said. “Al was a fun character to draw, he had a lot of expressions.”

Kelly said that the first time Shoemaker laid out the initial drawings for the book, she was spot-on.

“We couldn’t have asked for any more better pictures and illustrations,” Kelly said. “It really brought Al to life.”

Kelly and Hobbs also reached out to the mental health community in Mexico, starting with the behavioral health team at Arthur Center Community Health, to ensure they were doing everything appropriately.

“Then we incorporated our family and friends and our coworkers, prosecuting attorneys, children’s division workers, anybody that would read the book and critique it for us,” Hobbs said, adding that it was important that multiple coping skills were introduced in the book, as well as a list of resources.

At this time, Altrusa International of Mexico has been able to give away more than 70 books and bears to first responders and local agencies.