Spokane Chiefs Give Back
Each December, the Chiefs host one of the most popular games of the season, the Teddy Bear Toss! On Saturday, December 7, 2024, more than 9,500 fans packed Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to cheer on the Chiefs to a 3-2 win over the Wenatchee Wild, but the Teddy Bear Toss is no regular hockey game.
For the first time ever, the Chiefs wore specialty Teddy Bear Toss jerseys depicting mascot Boomer the Bear in a holiday hat as the main crest. When Chiefs forward Sam Oremba scored at the 9:44 mark of the first period, fans threw over 8,200 stuffed animals directly onto the ice. After the avalanche of toys, dozens of players, volunteers, and personnel teamed up to collect the toys, organize them and deliver them to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Bureau, to be distributed to families in need.
With special thanks to game night sponsor Jubilant HollisterStier, the Chiefs auctioned off the one-of-a-kind game worn jerseys with a portion of proceeds also benefiting the Christmas Bureau. This annual collaborative holiday assistance program serves families throughout the greater Spokane area, providing cheer, daily essentials and gifts to those in need. Between the auction proceeds and a $500 contribution on behalf of partner KREM2, $3,000 of direct financial support was raised, in addition to the truckload of over 8,000 toys.
See below as Brandon from KREM2 nails the center slot on the Numerica SlapShot Challenge (with a little help from your favorite bear) to win the $500.
