Even the organizers were surprised by the success of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce's "Bear Affair" promotion a few years ago.

It worked so well that the chamber is planning to launch the program again this fall under the moniker, "Bear-lieve it or Not."

Partnering with Torrington-based LARC, the chamber will have local artists decorate large fiberglass-polyester bears, which are hosted by local businesses and auctioned off to benefit both organizations.

With the Bear Affair, they become a tourist attraction, as families from this region and all over the state did driving tours, posing for pictures with some of the bears.

For more information about the new effort, visit www.bearlieveitornot.com or email bears@nwctchamberofcommerce.com.