SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Springfield Thunderbirds set a new franchise record by collecting 5,168 stuffed animals during Saturday's 5th Annual Teddy Bear Toss inside the MassMutual Center. It broke the previous record of 4,887 bears collected during the 2019 edition of the Teddy Bear Toss.

 
While the "toss" portion of this annual event is complete, and teddy bears have been collected and sorted, the most heartwarming part of this tradition will be coming later this week. On Wednesday afternoon, mascot "Boomer" and T-Birds staff members will hop on the team bus and transport the stuffed animals throughout the Pioneer Valley. Charitable benefactors of these donations include CHD, the Springfield Boys & Girls Club, Square One, the Boys & Girls Club Family Center of Springfield, Ronald McDonald House, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, the Springfield YMCA, and I Found Light Against All Odds.
 
"We continue to be amazed by the generous spirit of our fans and the Springfield community," said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. "It is impossible to put into words how impactful these donations will be for so many children in Western Mass. Bringing a smile to a child's face is what the holiday season is all about, and we hope that this event only gets bigger and more meaningful with each passing year."
 
Established during the Thunderbirds' inaugural season in 2016, the Teddy Bear Toss has contributed more than 20,000 stuffed animals to local Springfield charities, all with the overarching goal of providing gifts and smiles to underprivileged and underserved youth in the Greater Springfield community. Since the Teddy Bear Toss's inception, Teddy Bear Pools and Spas has proudly served as the title partner.
 
"We at Teddy Bear Pools & Spas are humbled to have the opportunity to be involved with the Thunderbirds on such a great event," said Ted Hebert, Owner of Teddy Bear Pools, who also serves as Part-Owner of the Thunderbirds. "We appreciate everyone’s generosity and are happy that so many will benefit, especially at this time of year. It is important that we always keep these organizations in mind, but receiving one of these bears is sure to make the holiday extra special."

For more information on the Springfield Thunderbirds and their charitable contributions, please visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com. To donate to the T-Birds Foundation, click here.