When the Green Bay Gamblers https://gamblershockey.com/ hockey team scores its first goal on Jan. 31, teddy bears will be raining down onto the ice. Now in its 25h year, the annual Teddy Bear Toss attracts a sell-out crowd, and everyone’s carrying a teddy bear. The bears are donated to children in pediatric care units and are handed out by the Gamblers players themselves to brighten the day of sick kids. Since its start in 2000, an estimated 108,000 bears have been tossed on the ice.
Teddy Bear Toss at the Gamblers Game
Sitting right at the glass on Saturday night will be Tom Snider with teddy bear in hand. Even a burly guy who makes a living filling potholes, sealcoating driveways, and laying asphalt will be clutching a teddy bear on Saturday night at the Resch Center. Tom and his wife, Chris, operate AC Asphalt, and their asphalt company has been a Gamblers sponsor for nearly 20 years.
20 Years of Coaching Hockey
A Minnesota native, Tom played hockey in high school and coached afterward – chalking up 20 years as a coach in his home state. He coached his own kids and now his grandsons play hockey and a son coaches. Tom’s busy season (from May to November) leaves time for winter entertainment, and a favorite hangout is a Green Bay Gamblers Hockey game.
Proud Sponsor of Gamblers Hockey
Tom said a love of hockey is the reason he sits in the stands and sponsors the team year after year. AC Asphalt has a VIP Party Pit table right down on the glass, and Tom invites friends to the games to share the excitement of junior ice hockey. He likes to keep an eye on the players’ success after they leave the Gamblers for the collegiate or professional ranks.
“A lot of these players I met personally. I still watch them today, especially the ones from Minnesota,” Tom said.
Look for the AC Asphalt Logo
When you go to the next Gamblers game, look for the AC Asphalt logo by the Gamblers bench and look for Tom Snider cheering on his favorite hockey team.
