By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
More than 3,250 Teddy Bears and assorted other stuffed critters hit the ice at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne Friday night as the Komets hockey team held its 12th annual Teddy Bear Toss.
In what’s become a hugely popular event in Fort Wayne, new and gently used stuffed animals are thrown onto the ice after the Komets score their first goal of the game.
It didn’t take long Friday for things to begin flying as Matthew Brown scored on a breakaway just 4:35 into the game.
A crowd of 7,467 people quickly responded.
The Komets players assisted in rounding up the stuffed animals while the other team, the Kansas City Mavericks, went to the dressing room.
The “stuffies” were collected by Goodwill and will be donated to those in need throughout the holiday season, including to Lutheran Children’s Hospital.
The traditional event has become a staple with many hockey teams throughout the U.S. and Canada, having started well more than 10 years ago.
Others sports have since joined the charitable event, including basketball, with the tossing of the animals held at halftime.
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