The Calgary Hitmen, a minor league hockey team and an affiliate of the Calgary Flames held their annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ for charity on Monday. The ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ is exactly what it sounds like, fans throw teddy bears onto the ice at a certain point in the game and the teddy bears are then divided up and sent to 50 local charities where they’re then given to local children. Apparently the ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ has become a bit of a fan favorite, but NOTHING could have prepared the Calgary Hitmen for the response to this year’s charity drive.
Since Monday this video has picked up over 10 MILLION VIEWS on Facebook. Carrying ye olde ‘this might restore your faith in people’ message people have been blown away by why it looks like to see 28,000 teddy bears thrown onto the ice all in the name of charity:
Here’s the text from the Facebook video above (via Brodie Brazil):
Here’s something to restore your faith in people.
Last night the Calgary Hitmen minor league hockey team held their annual “teddy bear toss” game.
In the 2nd period, Jordy Stallard got the first goal of the contest for the home team. Which was the signal for plush toys to be tossed on to the ice.
More than TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND of them!
(They’re saying it’s a new world record)
The game was stopped for a significant time while bears of all sizes were collected.
And the best part — they all go to 50 different local charities.
Just think of the smiles and feelings that thousands of young kids will have when they receive one of these bears, thanks to generous hockey fans in Calgary.
I wouldn’t say that my ‘faith in people is restored’ after watching that video but it’s certainly cool as shit to see 28,000 teddy bears thrown onto the ice of a minor league hockey game all in the name of charity.