On Dec. 5, more than 140 underprivileged children from the area packed into the J.C. Penney’s store at the Logan Valley Mall and all had the same agenda – warmth.
They were participating in the WALY-Warmth program, which, for the past 13 years, has been supplying children like these with warm coats, boots, hats and gloves during the holiday season.
“It was a great time,” said Mike Blaska, a sales representative for General Mills who has aided in the program in each of the last 11 years. “We did some bargain shopping and bought literally hundreds of items. It felt good knowing these kids will at least have something covering them this holiday season.”
The program’s primary sponsors include WALY 103.9, Bon Secours-Holy Family Hospital, Del Grosso Foods and Giant Eagle. Other sponsors include Martin’s potato chips, Value City Furniture, TGI Friday’s, Oak Spring Winery, General Mills, Frito Lay, Prime Sirloin Buffet, Snyder of Hanover, Benzel’s, Stroehmann’s, Rose Marie’s Florals, The Book Store, Hormel Foods, Hoss’s Steak and Sea House and Troyer Farms.
According to Blaska, the program is funded entirely through donations and fundraisers. Any and all donations are accepted and all monies raised will be used for local children.
Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to: WALY-Warmth, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg PA, 16648.
“We also do different programs throughout a two-month period beginning in November,” said Blaska. “These include celebrity bagging at our grocery sponsors and coupon stocking sales inside these stores.”
Blaska said Giant Eagle Altoona and Giant Eagle Roaring Spring have already sponsored celebrity bagging hours at their establishment and each also offer Christmas stockings containing coupons that save consumers plenty of green.
“It really helps the program and also the sponsoring businesses,” said Blaska. “It’s definitely a winning program for everyone who is involved.”
The stockings are offered for a measly $1 donation, but contain plenty of money-saving coupons from the program’s sponsors.
One of the largest donations this year came from the Altoona Corvette Club, when it presented WALY-Warmth organizers with a check for $3,114. The Club held a raffle for a die-cast EXOTO 1:18 Corvette Grand Sport Competitive Sport Competition Sebring collectible car which was autographed by motorsports greats Roger Penske, Dick Thompson and Dick Guldstrand.
The drawing for the prize was held Dec. 7 with Tom Convoy’s name being pulled.
K.C. O’Day, on-air personality for WALY 103.9 and also the coordinator of the WALY-Warmth program, was unavailable for comment this morning, but Blaska claims the whole program wouldn’t be nearly as successful if O’Day wasn’t onboard.
“She’s like Ms. Claus,” said Blaska. “She’s a woman dedicated to helping these kids stay warm. She has a warm heart for this and hopes she can warm the heart of everyone in the program.”
For more information, contact WALY 103.9’s business line at 941-9800, or visit the station’s website at www.waly1039.com.
