When the Cincinnati Cyclones light the lamp for the first time Friday night against the Fort Wayne Komets and Saturday night against the Kalamazoo Wings, stuffed animals will rain down on the ice and the local hockey community will again make a difference in children's lives.
This year marks the 12th season the Cyclones are partnering with the Cincinnati Police Department for the annual Teddy Bear Toss – an event common around hockey where teams and fans donate stuffed animals to local police and fire departments.
"The Cincinnati Police Department is the recipient of the teddy bears and stuffed animals donated from the great residents of the area," CPD Sgt. Timothy Fritz said.
If you're at the game, Fritz will be the officer driving the marked patrol car onto the ice to collect the donations.
The donations are a part of helping CPD officers ensure their interactions with children in the community are positive.
"We use them as a way to make a positive interaction with the children of our community," Fritz said. "Typically, the fine folks of our community, the only interaction with the police is when something negative happens – they're the victim of a crime, involved in an auto accident – it's usually something traumatic that brings the police around. So, we try to do things to put us in a better light with the kids so they understand not every contact you have with the police has to be a negative experience."
