GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Bay Gamblers traded their hockey sticks for teddy bears Monday, delivering smiles to pediatric patients at Aurora BayCare Medical Center.
The bears were donated by fans during Saturday night’s 26th annual Teddy Bear Toss game at the Resch Center. When the Gamblers scored their first goal, 7,880 teddy bears were thrown onto the ice.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace expands reach to help more children off the floor
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience seeing all the bears rain down,” Gamblers forward Elliot Gulley said. “It’s something you don’t see every day. Everyone came out to support us, and the number of bears on the ice took like 10 minutes to clean up.”
Just two days later, those bears found new homes in the arms of children facing doctor visits and difficult days.
Dr. Donald Beno, a pediatrician at Aurora BayCare, said the stuffed animals help ease the fear many children feel when coming to the doctor.
“The hardest part of coming to the doctor is the fear — whether it’s painful procedures, anxiety about being in a new place, or meeting new people,” Beno said. “The teddy bears give them something positive to associate with coming here.”
For young patients, the bears serve as more than toys, offering comfort, distraction and a reminder that they are not alone.
“It’s nice spreading joy,” Gulley said. “There are a lot more important things than just hockey, and I think that’s the biggest thing we learn from this. It’s a huge event for the community and a positive event for all of Green Bay.”
Wisconsin couple surprised to find themselves in Milan during Olympic festivities
Since its inception, the Teddy Bear Toss has collected more than 145,000 stuffed animals.
All of the bears are distributed to pediatric patients and community organizations throughout northeastern Wisconsin.
