570News - Gary Doyle

Congratulations. 58 hundred paying customers tossed over 6 thousand teddy bears on the ice last night when Justin Azevedo scored for the Kitchener Rangers in an overtime loss to Brampton. To be totally accurate, not all the bears made it to the ice. Some were left hanging on the safety nets at either end, long after the game ended. This morning, a number of charities will be lined up at the Aud, picking bears out of a bin. By the weekend most, if not all, will be on their way to a new home. This is an idea our leader Mike Collins took to Brad Sparkes 13 years ago. Mike heard about in in the Western Hockey League and to Brads’ credit, he jumped on the idea. Now every OHL team has a Teddy Bear toss tonight. I believe every Major Junior Team in Canada and the U.S. has followed suit. Much like getting school classes to sing the National Anthems, a good idea spreads quickly. That’s why I don’t know why other teams haven’t picked up the Rangers best idea yet. Special jerseys for Remembrance Day with the silent auction to follow and monies going to veterans charities. Much like the movie, a good idea works if you “pay it forward.”