HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) — Thousands of teddy bears and other stuffed animals were thrown onto the ice yesterday at the Hershey Bear’s game. The Bears’ 21st annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss will donate a generous donation to the Penn State Children’s Hospital.

The Sweigart Family Foundation in Lancaster County has supported the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss for the past seven years, donating a dollar to Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital for every teddy bear thrown on the ice.

The foundation pledged that if fans surpassed the total number of teddy bears thrown last year, they would donate $50,000. Fans surpassed this number and even broke the all-time record for the number of bears thrown on the ice during a hockey game.

The Sweigart Family Foundation has donated $275,000 since 2016.

More than 80 volunteers collected, counted, and sort the teddy bears. All of the stuffed animals will be donated to more than 35 local organizations.

Since the first event back in 2001, the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss has collected 389,508 teddy bears for local charities.

Harrisburg native Miracle Child Benjamin Grumbine and his parents, Nathan and Danielle, were interviewed on the ice during intermission.

“Children’s Miracle Network gave so much to us in the services, the support and the equipment that was there for us,” Danielle said.

In addition to sponsoring the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, The GIANT Company made a $10,000 donation to Children’s Miracle Network during the game.