Friday is a special day for the Abbotsford Heat as they hold their second annual Teddy Bear Toss, with toys going to the Abbotsford Christmas Bureau this year.

The Heat encourage all their fans to support the event by bringing a new or gently used stuffed toy to the AESC to toss onto the ice after the Heat's first goal of the night against the visiting Texas Stars.

"The Abbotsford Heat organization realizes the important role we play in the community, and the responsibilities that go along with making Abbotsford a better place to live, work and play," said Heat president Ryan Walter.

"Our Teddy Bear Toss is another way we are supporting the greater Abbotsford community, and this spirit of giving is incredibly important during the holiday season. We'd love to see all our fans bring a stuffed toy to donate [this] Friday to support a needy family."

The teddy bears/stuffies will be collected in a Sunrise Toyota pickup and donated to Abbotsford families in need.

"The Abbotsford Christmas Bureau is still looking for sponsors," said director Cliff Prang. "Sponsorship provides people a tangible connection to the community. The process is also a great team builder, and if you do it as a family, it is a great way to educate your own children about giving."

Last year, the Abbotsford Christmas Bureau helped 837 families, including 1,419 children and 65 seniors. Approximately half of the families were sponsored, and the other half came directly to the food bank to collect their Christmas food hampers and gifts.

The Abbotsford Food Bank continues to need donations of non-perishable food items year round, and feels a particular need for gifts for children and teens at Christmas. For more information on how you can help families in your community visit www. abbotsfordfoodbank.com.

? This weekend will feature an incredible 2-for-1 ticket deal. When fans purchase a ticket for Friday's "Teddy Bear Toss" game, they get a ticket to Saturday's game for free. If fans cannot attend the Dec. 15 game, they can donate their ticket to the United Way and give a Christmas outing to a family in need. For tickets call 1-877-452-HEAT(4328) or online at www.AbbotsfordHeat.com.

JKonda-Witte@abbotsfordtimes.com