Warm The Children funding goal met, thanks to community support

While the donation goal for Warm The Children (WTC), a program sponsored by the Vilas County News-Review under the auspices of the Eagle River Rotary Foundation to provide winter clothing for children in need, has now been reached for the seventh consecutive year, donations are still being accepted for next year.
The program has successfully met its fundraising goal each year since increasing the amount from $70,000 to $80,000 in 2018. The increase in fundraising goals has allowed WTC to provide warmth for more area children, as well as raise the spending amount per child.
News-Review Publisher Kurt Krueger said although the program has ended for the 2024 season, donations are still coming in to help clothe children.
“This enables us to start the 2025 winter season with money already in reserve. Because we start the shopping season so soon after we start receiving donations, it is important that we have funds so that children can be shopped for as the winter season begins,” he said.
He stressed that every penny raised goes to clothe children in need in the area, as the News-Review funds all of the administrative, marketing, and other costs associated with the program.

“I think it’s important that the money being donated is used exclusively to help the kids and families that need it most,” said Krueger. “We can fund all the program costs because we have a strong community newspaper with fantastic support from readers and area businesses, our advertisers.”
The spending limit was also raised for shoppers this year.
“We also want to let supporters of this program know that because of their generosity, we were able to increase the spending limit from $220 to $260 for children ages 2 to 17, and $110 to $130 for those younger than two years of this year. When the community is generous with their donations, we are able to better serve those in the program,” said program coordinator Nancy Brandner.
“For low-income families to be able to purchase needed clothes for their children, especially new, high-quality clothing, is such a much-appreciated gift,” she added.
Krueger said while there are many programs that seek financial help during the holidays, the WTC program continues to be well accepted.
Although the program has ended for the year, donations still have been trickling in as people wrap up their year-end giving.
“How inspiring it is to live and work in communities that harbor such generous and thoughtful people — both residents and seasonal visitors,” said Krueger.
WTC operates under the auspices of the Eagle River Rotary Club Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group.
Tax-deductible donations may be made year-round and are applied toward the next year’s program, allowing volunteers to send children shopping when the cold weather begins in the fall.
Checks can be made out to “Warm The Children: and mailed to the Vilas County News-Review, P.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521 or dropped off at the News-Review office. Online donations can be made at newsreview.com on the homepage.
Volunteer shoppers are always welcome to sign up and take families shopping. The program serves children in the North Woods.

Shopping completed

The final families completed their shopping just ahead of the Christmas holiday, Brandner added.
This brings about the end of another successful season which clothed a total of 468 local children.
“What’s truly amazing is that we have again surpassed the $80,000 fundraising goal and will now have money in reserve to begin the shopping next year,” Brandner said.

“We couldn’t put on this amazing program without the volunteers and the donors. Their time and monetary efforts given each year are truly a blessing,” she added.
For more information, call Brandner at 715-479-4421.

Community donations

In addition to many anonymous donors, donations were received as of Dec. 20 from residents in the following communities:
Conover: George and Sue Holloway.

Eagle River: Brett and Louise Edwards of Eagle River Floor Covering; Dennie Gother and Nancy Mayer; Brian and Mell Ross.
Other Wisconsin cities: Mike and Angie Neylon, Pardeeville.
Out of state: The Lee Krajewski Family, Naples, Fla.; Mary Kapke, Eagan Minn.; Claudia Wittmann, Buffalo, Minn; Jim and Karen Zima, Chattanooga, Tenn.