ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell men's hockey team will get in the spirit of the holiday season during its final home stand of the fall semester, helping with a pair of community outreach programs during the weekend of Nov. 20-21. Fans attending the Big Red's games against Princeton and Quinnipiac that weekend are encouraged to help with the annual Teddy Bear Toss and with Give the Gift of Family Reading.

The annual Teddy Bear Toss will be held on Nov. 21 following Cornell's game against Quinnipiac. Bears have been on sale at Cornell men's hockey home games and will again be on sale during the two games on Nov. 20-21 for $5 each. Additionally, bears are available for sale at the Cornell Store for $5.99. Following the game against Quinnipiac, when the Cornell team salutes the crowd, fans are asked to throw bears and other stuffed animals onto the ice. Bears collected will be donated to the Cops, Kids and Toys Foundation, while proceeds from the sale of the bears will be given to the Franziska Racker Centers and to the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes.

The Cornell hockey team will also be partnering with the Family Reading Partnership for their annual holiday book drive, Give the Gift of Family Reading. Fans are invited to bring new children's books or donate funding for books that will be distributed to low-income families to give to their children as holiday gifts. Donations will enter fans into a drawing to win a hockey stick signed by the 2009-10 team or a $100 gift certificate to the Boatyard Grill. Donations will be accepted during both the Princeton game on Nov. 20 and the Quinnipiac game on Nov. 21.