Eva Aguirre Cooper - WKTV Journal

At last year’s Wyoming Gives Back, more than 700 toys were collected. (Photo by WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It was a record breaking year for Wyoming Gives Back in 2018 with the annual fundraising collecting more than 700 toys for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.

“It was awesome,” said City of Wyoming Administrative Assistant Jennifer Stowell, who helps to organize the annual event which this year will be Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza. “Because its our eighth year and people are aware of the event, attendees will go the day after Christmas to purchase the toys that are on sale and then they bring in garbage bags of toys to the event.”

Each year the City of Wyoming partners with local businesses to celebrate the holiday season and collect toys for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Event attendees who bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation to the Salvation Army Angel Tree will receive a raffle ticket in exchange for a chance to win prize packs that contain hundreds of dollars of gifts donated by Wyoming businesses.

Last year, local businesses donated about $4,000 in gift certificates and/or items to be raffled off as prize packages.

The jazz band from the Wyoming High School will once again close out the Wyoming Gives Back event. (Photo by WKTV)

“The businesses are extremely generous,” Stowell said. About 1,800 letters are sent out to Wyoming businesses in July and once again the businesses have put together some amazing prize packages for this year’s event, such as a tool chest full of tools donated by Rogers Plaza and a 40-inch TV donated Car City.

About 20 local businesses and organizations will be at the event. WKTV will be providing an opportunity for residents to record a free Holiday Greeting that will be available on the station’s YouTube channel, WKTV Videos.

Hosting this year’s event is Mayor Jack Poll who will be joined by Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt and WOOD TV’s Eva Aguirre Cooper and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be stopping in for a visit. Also on hand will be firefighters and police officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety along with other city officials and staff.

Several school choirs and bands will be performing during the event. The Salvation Army Band will kick things off followed by the San Juan Academy. The Godwin Heights High School Choir will take the stage next, followed by the Kelloggsville High School Choir and then the Lee High School Varsity Voices Choir. Wrapping up the evening will be the Wyoming High School Jazz Band.

Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided by the Salvation Army Kroc Center.

The Dec. 5 event is free and open to the public. Rogers Plaza is located at 972 28th St. SW, along 28th Street between DeHoop and Clyde Park avenues.

https://youtu.be/p_s69Y0a1o0

For the sixth year, the City of Wyoming will host the annual Wyoming Gives Back, Thursday, Dec. 1, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza Mall, 972 28th St. SW.

The event will feature an evening of treats donated by area businesses and music from local school choirs and bands. Residents are invited to bring an unwrapped toy for The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree which will enter them into a raffle for gifts from several local businesses. Eva Aguirre Cooper from WOOD-TV will be on hand along with the officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and firefighters from the Wyoming Fire Department. And of course, Santa will there as well.