BIDDEFORD, Maine — On January 31, students and leaders at the University of New England (UNE) collected more than 3,000 teddy bears during the annual Teddy Bear Toss at UNE men’s and women’s ice hockey games.
Stuffed animals left at a memorial to Kobe Bryant at the high school he attended just outside of Philadelphia will be added to the collection when it is turned over to the United Way for distribution to children throughout York County.
The announcement comes on the same day The Los Angeles Lakers held a public memorial service for Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
According to UNE Public Relations Strategist Christopher Rose, UNE President James Herbert and UNE First Lady Lynn Brandsma have three children who graduated from Lower Merion High School. Herbert and Brandsma have known Kobe Bryant’s high school coach Gregg Downer, one of his favorite teachers Mrs. Mastriano, and his former teammate Doug Young for years.
Rose said when Brandsma reached out to the school’s principal to express her condolences, conversations were had regarding the large memorial at the school. After explaining the mission of UNE’s Teddy Bear Toss, administrators informed her that they would like to donate the stuffed animals from the memorial to the United Way of York County through UNE.
The animals are now in display cases inside the Alfond Forum on UNE’s Biddeford campus. They will remain there until they are turned over to the United Way.