HERSHEY, Pa. — The world-famous Teddy Bear Toss took it up another notch for 2024 to help local kids in need.
Thousands of stuffed animals that fans threw onto the ice will translate into a generous donation for organizations across central Pennsylvania and beyond.
Members of organizations that benefit from the annual event were at the GIANT Center bright and early Monday morning. More than 100 volunteers collected, counted and sorted the stuffed animals.
With nearly 75,000 teddy bears and stuffed animals accumulated Sunday night, a new record of toys has been collected during the toss.
Officials with the Bears and Hershey staff members alike say it's all about helping local kids.
"To be able to make a kid happy and put a smile on their face, [knowing] that someone in the community was thinking about them when they bought this bear and threw it on the ice, it's just full circle. It's a wonderful community moment," said Kathleen McGraw, the managing director of Hershey Entertainment.
For the past eight years, the Sweigart Family Foundation in Lancaster County has supported the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss by donating a dollar to the Children's Miracle Network at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital for every bear thrown onto the ice.
This year, the foundation pledged that if fans threw at least 50,000 plush items onto the ice, they would donate $50,000. Fans far surpassed that number, reaching 74,599, breaking the all-time record for the number of bears and stuffed animals thrown onto the ice during a hockey game.
This brings the Sweigart Family Foundation’s total donations to over $325,000 since 2016.
In total, the event has collected about 390,000 stuffed animals since its start in 2001. More than 30 local and regional organizations will benefit from Sunday's Teddy Bear Toss.