![](/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/02/csshl-header.jpg")
Story submitted by: Kevin Rothbauer, Shawnigan Lake SchoolĚý
More than 500 teddy bears and other stuffies and a donation of $10,000 are headed to the Victoria General Hospital after Shawnigan’s first-ever Teddy Bear Toss at the U18 Prep boys’ ice hockey game against St. George’s School on Wednesday December 4 – an event that was both heartwarming and a huge success.
A holiday-season tradition at various levels of ice hockey for decades, the Teddy Bear Toss sees fans throw bears and other stuffed toys after the home team scores its first goal. The toys are then donated to a charity – often a children’s hospital, where they bring joy and comfort to patients in need.
The U18 Prep boys sported special jerseys for Wednesday’s game, and the arena was packed with students, staff, families and community members. The U11 girls’ team from the Kerry Park Minor Association played a scrimmage between the first and second periods, then assisted in collecting the hundreds of toys on the ice after Nigel Alberts scored Shawnigan’s first goal.
In an emotional moment before the game, Jeremy Lister, a young cancer patient who is now in remission after two years of treatment at VGH, and Josh Coulson of the VGH Child Life Team joined the Shawnigan players to accept the $10,000 donation. Jeremy joined the players in the locker room after the game, telling them it was the best day of his life.
The team leaders, in particular captain Vincent Croteau and alternate captain Ryan Turner, took charge of the initiative, and the U18 Prep players will be working with the VGH Child Life Team to determine how the donation will be used. Four or five of the players will visit VGH to help distribute teddy bears to patients.
After the success of Shawnigan’s first Teddy Bear Toss, plans are already in the works for another next year.
“This special game united our School and community in support of sick children,” Director of Hockey Mr. Kevin Cooper said. “It was an opportunity to give back, with a heartfelt donation made to the VGH Child Life Team to help provide essential care and support to those in need.”
