T-Birds Announce Collection of 3,317 Bears in 2nd Annual Teddy Bear Toss

Springfield, MA - The Springfield Thunderbirds are pleased to announce a total collection of 3,317 bears during this past Saturday's 2nd Annual Thunderbirds Teddy Bear Toss, presented by Teddy Bear Pools & Spas.

 

As fans inside the MassMutual Center -- both young and old -- waited to hoist their bears to the ice on Saturday, Thunderbirds winger Maxim Mamin made sure the wait would be a short one, scoring just 1:24 into the game to trigger the avalanche of stuffed animals. It was the second consecutive year in which the Thunderbirds scored the Teddy Bear goal less than two minutes into game action; Sena Acolatse scored just 1:50 into the game in 2016's edition of the Teddy Bear Toss.

 

Perhaps the most heartwarming element of the Teddy Bear Toss is still to come, as the stuffed animals and teddy bears will be hand-delivered by Thunderbirds players, mascot "Boomer", and team staff to a variety of charitable organizations in the Pioneer Valley for the purpose of providing a smile and a gift to underprivileged kids this holiday season. Among the organizations receiving these donations are the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield, CHD, Square One, the Boys & Girls Club Family Center of Springfield, and more.

 

"We are so grateful for the generosity and support of our fan base to make this year's Teddy Bear Toss another tremendous success," said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. "It means a lot for our organization to be able to give back to hundreds of children in Western Mass, through this very unique program. We look forward to continuing to build our annual Teddy Bear Toss to rival some of the best in the country, so we can continue to put a smile on children’s faces for years to come."

 

The Thunderbirds Teddy Bear Toss was established in 2016, whereby the Thunderbirds' first goal in the annual Teddy Bear Toss game results in a celebration of bears being thrown onto the ice. Last season, the Thunderbirds contributed 2,793 bears to local Springfield charities. For the second straight season, the Teddy Bear Toss was made possible through the generous support of Teddy Bear Pools and Spas and its owner, Ted Hebert, who also serves as a Part-Owner of the Thunderbirds.

 

"On behalf of Teddy Bear Pools and Spas, I am thrilled that we once again had the opportunity to partner with the Thunderbirds in this wonderful philanthropic event," said Hebert. "The Springfield community has shown once again how people can come together in the spirit of the holiday season, and we are so excited to see the Teddy Bear Toss continue to grow in the future; very few things can top the feeling of bringing a smile to a child’s face at this time of year."

 

The Thunderbirds next hit the road for their first battle of the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Puck drop Wednesday night is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

 

Springfield Thunderbirds fans are encouraged to visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com to learn more about Thunderbirds Season Ticket Memberships. Packages start at just $12 per game, and Thunderbirds Full Season Ticket Members receive the most benefits, including a refillable collector’s mug and a commemorative jersey. For more information or to order now, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.