INAUGURAL CHARITY SOCK TOSS A SUCCESS FOR OTTERS, ERIE CITY MISSION
(photo: Mike Miller)
Erie, Pennsylvania – The season of giving extended into the New Year for the Erie Otters and fans.
On Saturday, January 22, the Otters held their inaugural “Sock Toss” initiative. This charitable event, believed to be the first of its kind in the Ontario Hockey League1, encouraged fans to bring new, packaged socks to throw on the ice during the second intermission of the Wizardry Night game. Collected items would be collected and donated to those in need during the harsh Erie winter.
In total, the Otters and their fans donated over 1,700 new winter items through the Toss:
- 1,591 Pairs of Socks
- 828 Men’s
- 397 Women’s
- 366 Children’s
- 46 Winter Hats
- 45 Pairs of Underwear
- 35 Pairs of Gloves
- Three (3) Scarves
All items will be donated to the Erie City Mission, located in the same neighborhood as the Otters and Erie Insurance Arena. The Erie City Mission is a non-profit organization working to eradicate homelessness in Erie County, with the donated items being distributed to those in need in the community. Erie City Mission Director of Development Erin Layden oversaw approval and future-distribution of the collected winter items. Excess items will be given to other Resource Centers in northwest Pennsylvania.
“The Otters’ Sock Toss event was a great opportunity for our community to step out and help those who are experiencing homelessness during the winter months” said Layden, “These winter essentials aren’t just meeting a basic need for those we serve. It does far more than that; it shows those in need that they matter and that they are loved. For that, we are so thankful.”
On Tuesday morning, Otters’ Director of Sales & Marketing Chad Westerburg, Media Relations Manager Shawn Bednard, Assistant Coach Vince Laise, and mascot Otto delivered the donated items to the Erie City Mission.
“We have a responsibility to the Erie community to be an active-part of the betterment of this community. The most important thing our organization can do is use its platform for good.” said Bednard, “I am thrilled by the response from our fans and humbled to see the good that these items will do in helping those who need it the most this year.”
This morning, our team delivered the over-1700 pairs of socks, gloves, & underwear tossed by our fans on Saturday night to @ErieCityMission.
These items will help the Otters' & ECM's fight to eradicate poverty in the Erie Community.
📰: https://t.co/C1SGjSVxbM #OttersNation🦦 pic.twitter.com/35U7fiDaKT
— Erie Otters 🦦 (@ErieOtters) January 25, 2022
The Erie Otters and Erie City Mission send their sincerest thanks to the fans and those in attendance from Saturday night’s game for being part of a new tradition in Erie hockey. One fan, in lieu of socks, donated ten dollars toward the Mission’s efforts; to join this fan in direct-donations, head to ErieCityMission.org.
1Peterborough held a Sock Drive & Fundraiser in December 2020’s suspended OHL season.
For the latest Otters news, visit OttersHockey.com, or follow the team on Facebook (Facebook.com/erieottershockey), Twitter (@ErieOtters), and Instagram (@ErieOtters).
For further information on the Erie Otters and for media inquiries, please contact Shawn Bednard at [email protected].
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