Heartwarming and Iconic Teddy Bear Toss Held in Hershey, PA this Sunday, January 4
Published on January 1, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss
(Hershey Bears)
(Hershey, PA) - Ring in the New Year and start 2026 with the heartwarming event that sees thousands upon thousands of teddy bears and stuffed animals flying through the air at a hockey game in an incredible act of generosity and kindness. Furry and fuzzy stuffies of all kinds will rain down onto the ice at GIANT Center during the Hershey Bears hockey game this Sunday, January 4 to benefit local and regional charities and children in need.
Teddy Bear Tosses are well-known promotional events for minor league hockey teams, but there is no Teddy Bear Toss like the Hershey Bears GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, set to take place this Sunday afternoon as the Bears host the Rockford IceHogs with a 3 p.m. ET puck drop. The Bears are the hockey WORLD RECORD holders for the Teddy Bear Toss, collecting a staggering 102,343 stuffed animals at last year's event.
As part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares initiative, which showcases the philanthropic activities and volunteer efforts of Bears players and staff members throughout the community, teddy bears and stuffed animals are collected and donated to more than 60 local and regional organizations, including Harrisburg School District, Gigi's Playhouse Lancaster, Bethesda Mission, LaMancha Animal Rescue, Hospice of Central PA, Lancaster County Food Hub, Milton Hershey School, and Elizabethtown Fire Department.
For the past decade, the Sweigart Family Foundation of Lancaster County has made the Teddy Bear Toss even more impactful by donating $1 to Children's Miracle Network at Golisano Children's Hospital for every animal thrown on the ice. This year, The GIANT Company is stepping in to honor the late Jeff Sweigart, a devoted Bears fan and longtime season ticket holder, to keep his passion alive. The GIANT Company has pledged a $100,000 donation to the hospital if fans can surpass last year's total number of collected bears.
Hershey's annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss has collected 566,450 teddy bears since its inception in 2001.
Images from this story
 Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss |
American Hockey League Stories from January 1, 2026
- Calgary Strikes Three Times on Power Play to Upend Eagles, 3-2 in OT - Colorado Eagles
- Crunch Downed by Marlies, 2-1, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Heartwarming and Iconic Teddy Bear Toss Held in Hershey, PA this Sunday, January 4 - Hershey Bears
- Zach Dean Cleared by NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Penguins Recall Forwards Brayden Edwards, Zach Urdahl - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Winning Wednesday Upcoming for Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- New York Rangers Recall Three from Hartford Wolf Pack - Hartford Wolf Pack
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
