Northern Michigan University hockey fan Alex Colon tosses Mini Mouse and Goofy onto the rink during a recent Teddy Bear Toss at the Berry Events Center. This year’s event is Saturday. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — The annual Teddy Bear Toss will take place during the first intermission of the Northern Michigan University Wildcats hockey game against Minnesota-Duluth Saturday. The event is coordinated by the NMU Athletics, the NMU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Mining Journal Cheer Club.

Fans at the hockey game are encouraged to bring a teddy bear or stuffed animal to throw on the ice during the first intermission. The animals will be collected by the SAAC and will then be donated to The Mining Journal Cheer Club, which will give the toys to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul for distribution to local families in need of Christmas gifts.

“The Teddy Bear Toss has been a big part of Cheer Club for a long time,” said Mining Journal Publisher Ann Troutman. “It’s great that the SAAC is involved with this great community event to help kids in need.”

Last year the event yielded 623 teddy bears and other assorted stuffed animals for local children. The event had to take a different course than usual last year, with a drive-by Teddy Bear Toss being implemented due to social distancing requirements.

The hockey game starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and is the second in the two-game series against Minnesota-Duluth.

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net.