This story originally appeared in the Surrey Now-Leader by Tom Zillich
Forget teddy bears, hockey fans will be tossing underwear and socks on the ice during a Surrey Eagles game this Friday (Jan. 12).
It’s “Underwear and Sock Toss” night at the BCHL game at South Surrey Arena, where the Eagles take on Langley Rivermen starting at 7 p.m.
The event is held in support of the seventh annual Toque Tuesday initiative in Surrey, which involves games of road hockey at City Hall Plaza, on Feb. 6 this year.
This Friday night in South Surrey, fans will toss new underwear and socks – yes, new garments only – on the ice when the Eagles score their first goal of the game, and everything will be donated to the local homeless population.
“There will be socks and underwear to purchase at the game, for those that need to purchase at game time, but it is always better for the fans to bring the items purchased before,” Tim Baillie, a retired firefighter and Toque Tuesday’s “supreme commander,” told the Now-Leader.
“The 50/50 for that game will also be benefiting the Surrey Firefighters Charitable Society so you can support some good charities and watch a great local Junior A hockey game,” he added.
Baillie has advance tickets for $10 that are normally priced at either $18 or $15; people who want to purchase the reduced-price tickets must contact Baillie directly by email before Wednesday (Jan. 10), to baillie161@gmail.com. “All proceeds from that will go to purchase safety equipment for workers (hard hats, gloves, vests, etc.),” for people served by charities that are supported by Toque Tuesday’s Hockey Day in Surrey, including Surrey Urban Mission Society, Options, Pacific Community Resources Society, Lookout and others.
During the day-long Toque Tuesday event at Surrey City Hall, teams in the tourney are asked to purchase a special toque for $10 each, and also bring donated socks, sweaters, footwear, scarves and other items to the fun event.
