Hundreds of teddy bears will have their big moment together on Thursday night during the Waterloo Black Hawks' Thanksgiving game against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at Young Arena.

Those plush toys will fly onto the ice after the first Waterloo goal of the game. The Hawks' annual Teddy Bear Toss is presented by Lincoln Savings Bank.  As exciting as that moment will be, the most important part is what happens next.  After the bears land on the ice, they will be collected and donated to Toys for Tots and other local causes, brightening the holidays for children throughout northeast Iowa.

"This is one of those special moments fans look forward to each season; it's great to have this tradition associated with the most traditional game on our schedule," said Black Hawks President and COO Joe Greene.  "I would like to thank Lincoln Savings Bank for their support of this effort.  They are a great community partner."

Last season, Gavyn Thoreson ignited the Teddy Bear Toss by scoring at 18:08 of the second period.  That proved to be the game-winning goal during Waterloo's 2-0 victory over the RoughRiders.

In addition to Toys for Tots, last year's bears were also shared with Furries 4 Fosters, several local schools, and in a few cases, directly from Black Hawks players to kids needing a fuzzy friend.

Since the toys are presented to children, it is essential that the bears be new and still include their retail tags.  A limited number of plush toys will be available from the Rydell Fan Service table for fans who are unable to bring a bear to the game.  A small donation to Toys for Tots is requested.

Seats are still available for Thursday's game, but they are going quickly.  The biggest crowd of the season to date is expected.  Visit tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or call the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680 to place your order.