Hershey Bears to Host 20th GIANT Teddy Bear Toss on Jan. 22
Event Marks 20th Teddy Bear Toss Event in Team History
The Hershey Bears will host the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at GIANT Center at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used plush toys to the game to be thrown on the ice when the Bears score their first goal of the game.
The GIANT Company and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) also announced a long-term extension of the naming rights for GIANT Center, home of the Bears, through September 2033.
“HE&R is so pleased to continue our incredible partnership with The GIANT Company. Together, we have helped to establish GIANT Center as an award-winning premier sports and entertainment venue - bringing the type of acts typically reserved for major cities to Central Pennsylvania. We look forward to this next phase of partnership and cannot wait to continue expanding the GIANT Center’s offerings on our region.”
To commemorate the extension, The GIANT Company is making a $20,000 donation to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to help feed neighbors in need across the Susquehanna Valley.
“In all that it does, The GIANT Company works to bring families together and create memories. In Central Pennsylvania, no one does that quite like the GIANT Center does and that’s why we’re honored to continue our long-standing relationship with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. Much like HE&R, we’re committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. It’s only fitting to celebrate the extension of our partnership in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, and to make it even more of an occasion, we’re thrilled to mark this milestone with a donation to our friends at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.”
This year's GIANT Teddy Bear Toss marks the 20th event in team history. In 2019, Hershey collected 45,650 plush toys, a world record. The club has collected an estimated 269,858 plush toys since 2001. Last year, the club could not hold the Teddy Bear Toss in its traditional form due to the pandemic but still collected 31,381 plush toys in a drive-thru setting.
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 toys are collected and donated to more than 25 local organizations, including Dauphin County Children and Youth, Cocoa Packs, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Palmyra Lions Club, Autism Society Greater Harrisburg Area, and Children's Miracle Network Hershey. For the seventh year, the Sweigart Family Foundation will pledge $1 per plush toy for all plush toys collected until the 2019 record is achieved. If the Hershey Bears fans, widely considered the best fans in the American Hockey League, break the 2019 record by one plush item, the foundation will increase the gift to $50,000.
A limited number of tickets for the Teddy Bear Toss game are currently available. For tickets and additional information about the Hershey Bears, please visit www.hersheybears.com.
The Hershey Bears have been proud members of the American Hockey League since the 1938-39 season, making them the longest continuously operating member club of the league still playing in its original city. The Bears have won the Calder Cup 11 times, the most of any AHL franchise. The Bears are the AHL affiliate of the 2018 Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and are affiliated with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Visit www.HersheyBears.com and follow Hershey Bears on our social media channels for ongoing team and schedule updates.
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company is a world-class entertainment and hospitality company dedicated to preserving the legacy of Milton S. Hershey. Founded in 1927 by Milton S. Hershey, HE&R and its subsidiaries own and/or operate the Hersheypark Entertainment Complex, Hersheypark Arena & Stadium, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, Hershey Bears AHL Hockey Club, Giant Center arena, The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, Hersheypark Camping Resort, The Spa At The Hotel Hershey, MeltSpa by Hershey, Hershey Country Club and Hershey Golf Collection. For additional information about HE&R, visit www.HersheyPA.com.
The GIANT Company believes that no matter where or how, when meals happen, families connect, and when families connect meaningfully, good happens. Guided by its brand platform, For Today’s Table®, the omni-channel retailer proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey. A Great Place to Work™ certified company with more than 35,000 talented team members supporting 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations, and over 150 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and connecting families for a better future. Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN'S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company is proud to help fulfill the dream of our founder, Milton S. Hershey, by providing value to Milton Hershey School® in its mission of helping students lead happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives - just as Mr. Hershey intended. Learn more at mhskids.org.