EWU basketball borrows hockey tradition with teddy bear toss that nets hundreds of stuffies for Christmas Bureau

Christmas Bureau organizers got a pleasant surprise last month when they spotted a social media post that Eastern Washington University was going to do a teddy bear toss event at two basketball games and donate the stuffed animals.

Monika Jesse, director of marketing at EWU, said she was familiar with the Teddy Bear Toss the Spokane Chiefs have been doing for many years that also benefits the Christmas Bureau. She thought it would be fun to try to replicate the event on a smaller scale.

“For the longest time I’ve wanted to do this,” she said.

At the beginning of November, she realized that a double header of men’s and women’s basketball games set for later in the month would be the perfect time for such an event.

“Half times at our men’s and women’s games was just perfect,” she said.

She organized the teddy bear toss event in two weeks and didn’t get around to notifying the Christmas Bureau of her plans before organizers spotted it on social media and reached out.

During halftime of both basketball games, those attending were encouraged to throw their stuffed animals onto the court. The cheerleaders both encouraged the tossing by holding up their megaphones so people could use them as targets for their stuffed animal tossing and then helped clean up the donations so the games could resume.

“That was cool,” Jesse said. “It was actually a lot of fun to watch.”

The toss went so well that Jesse plans to do it again next year. It’s a great opportunity for EWU to help the Spokane community, Jesse said.

“I believe it was very successful,” she said. “I received a lot of compliments from people in the stands, how excited they were for this. I would love for it to be an annual thing.”

The Christmas Bureau is a joint effort by Catholic Charities, Volunteers of America and The Spokesman-Review to provide grocery store vouchers and a toy and book for each child to families in need at Christmas.

Bureau coordinator Heidi Meany said she was thrilled to hear about EWU’s event. The Bureau typically gets several thousand stuffed animals from the Spokane Chiefs toss. The very large stuffed animals can be selected as a toy and the smaller ones are given out to families as they leave – as long as supplies last.

EWU’s inaugural teddy bear toss netted 386 stuffed animals. “It’s incredible,” Meany said. “It increases the likelihood that people will get a little added extra at the end.”

Donations

Every year a few donations trickle in after the donation cutoff and are counted toward the following year’s Christmas Bureau fundraising. Donations that came in the last couple of days of last December and early January of this year total $21,035, a good start toward this year’s goal of $600,000.

Ibex Flooring LLC, of Spokane, donated $8,000.

The Klaue Family Foundation, of Spokane, donated $5,000. “The Foundation is once again blessed to be able to contribute to the Christmas Fund,” David Klaue wrote. “We are very thankful we continue to contribute and be a part of a program that brings joy, brightness and many blessings to the families and organizations in need.

“The spirit and generosity of the Spokane community has helped many families experience the true meaning of Christmas. The benevolent providence and gift of giving to assist those less fortunate is rewarding, especially in these unprecedented economic and pandemic times.”

The Roy and Leona Nelson Foundation in Seattle donated $2,000. The Roger and Kathleen Chase Family Charitable Fund gave $1,000. The Goddard Family sent $500 via PayPal, writing, “Thank you for all you do for the community!”

Dan and Traci Loewen, of Spokane, donated $500. Joe and Carolyn Schauble, of Spokane, gave $500 “in memory of our parents: Robert and Mary Schauble and Carl and Edna Magee. Thanks for making this fund a success each year.”

Peggy Jeremiah, of Spokane Valley, sent $500, writing, “Thank you for ensuring all in Spokane have a Christmas!” The Matthews Mahoney Donor-Advised Fund at the Innovia Foundation sent $500.

Patricia Morales sent $400 via PayPal. Kevin and Judy Heid, of Spokane, contributed $300.

Hope and Gary Roszell, of Spokane, gave $250. Dena Kaplan, of San Diego, California, donated $250 “in honor of my father, Don Kelly, who loved helping others.”

An anonymous Spokane donor sent $150.

Kathleen Franke, of Spokane Valley, donated $100, as did Andrew Caster of Spokane. D. Fitzgerald, of Nine Mile Falls, gave $100. The Rowe family of Spokane sent $100, as did Patricia Earley, also of Spokane. Richard Steele, of Spokane, contributed $100. Mary Vanderwal, of Spokane, donated $100.

Nancy MacKerrow, Lucinda McMahon, Brad Snow, Marlene Feist and Melissa Newbill each contributed $100 via PayPal.

Ilene Treewater, of Spokane, donated $50, as did Carol and Douglas Spruance of Spokane. Rita Goehner, of Spokane, sent $50, writing “Thanks for all you do to make Christmas better for many!” Ann Borgman donated $50 via PayPal.

Frank Van Dyne, of Spokane Valley, donated $25. Amanda Nelson sent $20 via PayPal.

Judith Horton, of Coeur d’Alene, gave two donations of $5 each.