Griffins Host Drive-Thru Teddy Bear Toss & Holiday Drive

Originally posted on WOOD TV on December 15, 2020

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Grand Rapids Griffins didn’t let coronavirus put a stop to their annual holiday charity drive.

Teddy Bear Toss and Holiday Drive was scheduled to run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park on Coldbrook Street. Because of the pandemic, it was a drive-thru event this year.

The event collected new stuffed animals for the Billy Bear Hug Foundation, which gives them to kids who are seriously ill. If you couldn’t make it to the Teddy Bear Toss, you could drop them off at J&H Family Stores on Tuesday.

As the event’s title suggests, donors normally toss their teddy bears onto the ice at Van Andel Arena. This year, they got to throw them at team mascot Griff. Over the past 20 years of the event, some 60,000 stuffed animals have been donated.

People could also give canned goods to the Feeding America West Michigan food pantry or money to the Salvation Army.

“With so many people in West Michigan facing hardships this year, it’s also important for us to come together and continue helping organizations like The Salvation Army and Feeding America that do so much good in our community,” Griffins spokesman Bob Kaser said.