December 1, 2020 - Hockey fans that have grown accustomed to the annual Teddy Bear Toss can still experience the thrill of throwing a stuffed animal, albeit in a drive-thru manner on Saturday, December 12th from 10:00 AM – 12 PM outside of the MassMutual Center on the corner of Bruce Landon Way and Main St.
This year’s toss will be a bit different from years past, but hopefully just as fun! Instead of tossing the bears onto the ice after the first T-Birds first goal, we're asking fans to bring their bears down and 'toss' them out of their vehicles at the Teddy Bear Toss Drive Thru brought to you by Teddy Bear Pools & Spas. Boomer, the Nicebox Icebox, and front office staff will be waiting to collect your donations with the hope of collecting thousands of bears. If you can’t make it that day, not to worry. The Thunderbirds will also be accepting bears at their office, Monday thru Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or you can drop off your bear at Teddy Bear Pools & Spas at 41 East Street in Chicopee, the Springfield Visitor Center at 1319 Main St, Springfield, MA 01103 or at New Valley Bank’s new headquarters located in Monarch Place in downtown Springfield.
Kicking off on #GivingTuesday, the annual global movement that encourages people to do good and support nonprofits, you’ll also be able to make a monetary donation to the Springfield Thunderbirds foundation which will be used to purchase additional bears that will be donated. If you’re not able to make a physical bear donation, the Thunderbirds will be collecting monetary donations on their foundation’s website and Facebook page at your convenience anytime leading up to the event on December 12th. Each increment of $5 donated will allow the team to purchase bears that will be distributed before the holidays. As an added bonus, the first 200 people to donate either cash or stuffed animals will receive a $5 Dunkin’ gift card (limit 1 per person).
After the event, the teddy bears & stuffed animals will then be properly sanitized and donated to local charities to spread cheer during the holiday season. Past recipients of bears have included Square One, The Ronald McDonald House, Baystate Children's Hospital, and more.
A special thank you to our partners at: Teddy Bear Pools & Spas, Balise Auto Group, Western Mass News, the Springfield Business Improvement District & downtown Visitor’s Center, New Valley Bank & Trust and Dunkin’.
