Seals, Council On Aging Take Teddys Global
December 19, 2006 - SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
CELEBRATION, Fla. - The Florida Seals professional hockey team, in conjunction with the Osceola County Council On Aging, today announced plans for their benefit "Teddy Bear Toss" on Saturday, December 23rd when the Pee Dee Cyclones come to the Silver Spurs Arena.
This year, through the Seals' partnership with the COA, all stuffed animals brought to the game and thrown to the ice when the Seals score will go to the "Teddies For Tragedies" program which works with children's hospitals, homes and orphanages all over the world.
"We're always happy to be involved in anything that concerns the community and helping out our designated charity, the Osceola Council On Aging," Seals Director of Marketing and Ticket Operations Rickey Lee Watson said. "If we can put a smile on one child's face with a teddy bear, we're very happy and proud to be a part of that."
The "Teddies For Tragedies" program originated in England in 1985. That year, the Women's Royal Voluntary Services began the tradition by knitting bears for children in a refugee camp in the Sudan. Since that time, the program has grown into a worldwide effort to help children in need everywhere.
According to Robert Dent, Marketing & Development Director of the Osceola County Council On Aging, his organization's involvement is truly a labor of love.
"The COA has been involved with the "Teddies For Tragedies" program for a number of years. Volunteers actually sew from scratch teddy bears," Dent said. "These teddy bears are sent overseas to orphanages and hospitals in foreign countries to children that are very deserving and really need a little bit of lift and happiness in life.
"It began with some of the local faith-based organizations starting the program and it has grown from there. I can't give you probably an accurate number but it is well into the thousands of teddy bears that we have shipped overseas to different locations."
The Seals organization believes, especially at this time of year, that it is important to let the less fortunate know that someone cares.
"These are children that we don't even know or have ever talked to," Watson said. "No child should go without a Christmas present. No child should go unrecognized. We're all in this world together and we're all as one."
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SPHL Stories from December 19, 2006
- Sich, Pszenyczny, Keller Spark Seals Victory - Florida Seals
- Seals, Council On Aging Take Teddys Global - Florida Seals
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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.
