Fans Urged to Gear Up for Lyon College Furry Frenzy Toy Toss

Over the last three years, the Lyon College Toy Toss has collected over 2,500 stuffed toys to give to those less privileged in Independence County. The Lyon College Athletics Department and W.R.D. Entertainment, who are co-hosting the event again this year, are hoping the Fourth Annual Lyon College Furry Frenzy Toy Toss is the biggest event ever and they are asking both children and adults to help this cause at the Tuesday, November 29, event.

The toy toss will take place at the beginning of the Lyon women’s basketball game on that night in James C. Becknell Gymnasium. The Scots take on Philander Smith College at 5:30 p.m. and fans will have the opportunity to toss their stuffed toys on the court when Lyon scores its first points of the evening. The Lyon men will also play at home that night, hosting Baptist Bible College at 7:30 p.m.

All fans who bring a new stuffed toy to the games will be admitted free and be eligible to enter contests and win free t-shirts and prizes worth more than $400 throughout the evening.

But the toy toss is only one part of the exciting night at Lyon College. There will be music and entertainment at halftime of both games when the Lyon cheer squad and the West Magnet Elementary dancers perform.

“The Christmas season always brings happiness to many, but there are those who are less fortunate and don’t have such a Merry Christmas,” said Lyon Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Information and Marketing John Krueger. “We started this endeavor four years ago to bring smiles to children’s faces throughout Independence County and we appreciate the support of W.R.D. Entertainment and the continuous work by the United Way’s Angel Tree program to pick up and distribute these toys.

“We believe that everyone deserves to be happy at this time of year, and what a better way to share with others than to join forces with so many people on the Lyon campus and the surrounding community to do so. We ask each person that comes to our games on November 29 bring at least one toy. And by making this one small gesture, they are not only given an evening of excitement, basketball, games and giveaways, but they’re also giving back to our own community.

“We hope that this year’s Toy Toss is the best ever and that everyone in the community will make it a point to join with us.”

Those who can’t make it to the games or aren’t basketball fans can still give back to this effort by delivering a stuffed toy or two to one of the area elementary schools – Central Magnet, West Magnet, Eagle Mountain Magnet, Sulphur Rock Magnet, Southside Elementary, Cord-Charlotte Elementary, Newark Elementary, Cave City Elementary and Midland Elementary – who are all participating.

“We’re going to be distributing flyers to these area schools on November 17-18 to encourage children to take part in this event,” Krueger added. “If anyone wants to just donate additional toys they are more than welcome to bring them to the game or at any time to the Athletics Administration Offices, which are located just west of Becknell Gymnasium. They can even bring them to your local school and we’ll come by and pick them up.”

The school which has representatives who bring the most stuffed toys to the game will be awarded the Lyon College Furry Frenzy Toy Toss Cup and will be keep it at their school for the next year. West Magnet won last year’s competition.

For Lyon students, there will also be a competition for most participation between fraternity and sororities. The group which brings the most stuffed toys will be rewarded with points toward the annual Intramural Cup, which is presented each year to a men and women’s team. They will also receive a Toy Toss Cup, which they will keep until next year’s event.

Lyon cheerleaders, along with members of the Scot softball and volleyball teams will help to collect the toys after the ‘toss’.

Updates on the Furry Frenzy Toy Toss can be seen by ‘liking’ the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FurryFrenzyToyToss and at www.LyonScots.com.