Tossed teddy bears cheer up hospital patients

KELOWNA – It’s a kind-hearted combination that mixes teddy bears and hockey players with people who could use a little cheering up in their lives.

The Teddy Bear Toss began Saturday night when the Kelowna Rockets hosted the Brandon Wheat Kings.

When the Rockets scored their first goal, people threw hundreds of teddy bears onto the ice.

On Sunday, some of the Kelowna players handed out the fuzzy friends to patients at the Kelowna hospital.

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“I think it’s very good for the kids, cheers them up, makes their day better,” said Roger Cook after his young son got one of the bears.

The hockey players enjoyed giving the bears out as much as the patients enjoyed getting them.

“I think it’s great and I love being out here doing this,” said Rockets forward Dillon Dube. “It gives you shivers doing this so I think everybody is happy to be here.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think it's great and I love being out here doing this," said Rockets forward Dillon Dube. "It gives you shivers doing this so I think everybody is happy to be here."

The teddy bears will also be given to patients at other Interior Health facilities, such as care homes, in the central Okanagan.