The Teddy Bear From Hell

[Purple Phart]

Given my past experience this spring/summer, I'd like to provide a word of caution regarding
any future "teddy bear toss events". Our household experienced a nasty bed bug infestation which began in mid April. How that came to be was a mystery, at the time, since all 3 in the household hadn't been anywhere due to the Covid-19 isolation. My son began experiencing unusual hives on his back & arms which our doctor identified as insect bites. He suggested that we thoroughly check his bed and linnen, and to our horror we discovered his bed was infested. We had no idea as to the source, since none of us had been anywhere, and we hadn't had any guests. After much recollection, my son remembered that he'd received a birthday package from his girlfriend, containing a box of candy and a stuffed teddy bear, which he kept on his pillow in the bedroom. This bear became a suspicious item, and so with my son's permission, we cut it open. It was filled with some grey fiberous material that resembled the lint you get when cleaning the lint trap on your clothes dryer. There were also several living bedbugs. The only tag on the bear identified it as being Made in Bangladesh. My son then called his girlfriend to inquire as to where she'd gotten this teddy bear, and she told him that it had come from a "dollar store", but she couldn't remember exactly where. We spent the next month and a half replacing his mattress, comforter, completely did-assembling and treating his bedframe, cleaning and disinfecting his room and adjoining rooms and closet.

This is something to consider if and when you purchase a teddy bear, for the next toss ( whenever that might occur). This was one teddy bear from hell, I certainly wouldn't wish on my worse enemy, much less some kid and their family. How and where it became infested, I have no way of knowing....only that it brought a lot of grief and expense to get rid of that infestation that came with it.

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[AttackSound]

Given my past experience this spring/summer, I'd like to provide a word of caution regarding
any future "teddy bear toss events". Our household experienced a nasty bed bug infestation which began in mid April. How that came to be was a mystery, at the time, since all 3 in the household hadn't been anywhere due to the Covid-19 isolation. My son began experiencing unusual hives on his back & arms which our doctor identified as insect bites. He suggested that we thoroughly check his bed and linnen, and to our horror we discovered his bed was infested. We had no idea as to the source, since none of us had been anywhere, and we hadn't had any guests. After much recollection, my son remembered that he'd received a birthday package from his girlfriend, containing a box of candy and a stuffed teddy bear, which he kept on his pillow in the bedroom. This bear became a suspicious item, and so with my son's permission, we cut it open. It was filled with some grey fiberous material that resembled the lint you get when cleaning the lint trap on your clothes dryer. There were also several living bedbugs. The only tag on the bear identified it as being Made in Bangladesh. My son then called his girlfriend to inquire as to where she'd gotten this teddy bear, and she told him that it had come from a "dollar store", but she couldn't remember exactly where. We spent the next month and a half replacing his mattress, comforter, completely did-assembling and treating his bedframe, cleaning and disinfecting his room and adjoining rooms and closet.

This is something to consider if and when you purchase a teddy bear, for the next toss ( whenever that might occur). This was one teddy bear from hell, I certainly wouldn't wish on my worse enemy, much less some kid and their family. How and where it became infested, I have no way of knowing....only that it brought a lot of grief and expense to get rid of that infestation that came with it.

Owen Sound had since ended teddy bear toss night years ago not because of a situation like this but for the simple reason that the age demographic for teddy bears to kids is a limited age bracket.

Now the Attack hold there annual toonies and toys event instead which is run by the Owen Sound Fire Department and is used to purchase items for less fortunate kids around the holidays. If the league and the CHL as a whole adopted this option it would allow for these groups that handle these types of events to purchase what these kids would like during the holidays. I'm not certain that every team does something like this but I've heard of number doing similar things during the holiday season. To any OHL team it's time to get out of this old style of thinking and start new aged ideas like Owen Sound's goonies and toys night event.

 

[ohloutsider]

Owen Sound had since ended teddy bear toss night years ago not because of a situation like this but for the simple reason that the age demographic for teddy bears to kids is a limited age bracket.

Now the Attack hold there annual toonies and toys event instead which is run by the Owen Sound Fire Department and is used to purchase items for less fortunate kids around the holidays. If the league and the CHL as a whole adopted this option it would allow for these groups that handle these types of events to purchase what these kids would like during the holidays. I'm not certain that every team does something like this but I've heard of number doing similar things during the holiday season. To any OHL team it's time to get out of this old style of thinking and start new aged ideas like Owen Sound's goonies and toys night event.

Windsor does 3 events to collect toys/money 1- Teddy bear toss, 2-Sparkys toy drive ( collection of toys any age group) , 3-Fill the boot (Fireman go around the arena with one of their boots collecting loonies/toonies any cash really so they can buy things for kids not in the teddy bear age group). I'm sure other arenas do these things as well.

Friends working in hotels who say bedbugs are hard to keep out so travelers beware.

 

[nelli27]

Given my past experience this spring/summer, I'd like to provide a word of caution regarding
any future "teddy bear toss events". Our household experienced a nasty bed bug infestation which began in mid April. How that came to be was a mystery, at the time, since all 3 in the household hadn't been anywhere due to the Covid-19 isolation. My son began experiencing unusual hives on his back & arms which our doctor identified as insect bites. He suggested that we thoroughly check his bed and linnen, and to our horror we discovered his bed was infested. We had no idea as to the source, since none of us had been anywhere, and we hadn't had any guests. After much recollection, my son remembered that he'd received a birthday package from his girlfriend, containing a box of candy and a stuffed teddy bear, which he kept on his pillow in the bedroom. This bear became a suspicious item, and so with my son's permission, we cut it open. It was filled with some grey fiberous material that resembled the lint you get when cleaning the lint trap on your clothes dryer. There were also several living bedbugs. The only tag on the bear identified it as being Made in Bangladesh. My son then called his girlfriend to inquire as to where she'd gotten this teddy bear, and she told him that it had come from a "dollar store", but she couldn't remember exactly where. We spent the next month and a half replacing his mattress, comforter, completely did-assembling and treating his bedframe, cleaning and disinfecting his room and adjoining rooms and closet.

This is something to consider if and when you purchase a teddy bear, for the next toss ( whenever that might occur). This was one teddy bear from hell, I certainly wouldn't wish on my worse enemy, much less some kid and their family. How and where it became infested, I have no way of knowing....only that it brought a lot of grief and expense to get rid of that infestation that came with it.

I have never been a strong supporter of the TBT. Always thought Ritalin and Adderall would be more practical than bears.