Hockey charity bans teddy-bear toss due to bedbug fears

[The Straight Story]

SAINTJOHN, N.B. — The Saint John Sea Dogs, currently sitting atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League standings, announced Monday that they have cancelled their annual Teddy Bear Toss, in which fans throw stuffed animals on the ice to be collected for children’s charities, due to fears of bedbugs infesting the toys.

“After meeting with several external parties and discussing the matter internally at length, we have decided that we won’t be able to hold the Teddy Bear Toss this season,” said team president Wayne Long in a news release. “We contacted several charitable organizations throughout the region, across Canada, and even abroad, and none were willing to accept a donation of stuffed toys from southwestern New Brunswick due to the bedbug outbreak.”

The toss had been set for a Dec. 12 game against the Halifax Mooseheads.



Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Hockey+charity+bans+teddy+bear+toss+bedbug+fears/3936522/story.html#ixzz17Rpl4nmz