Coins for Kids volunteers enjoy big shopping spree

ST. GEORGE — Hundreds of volunteers flooded into Bloomington Wal-Mart in St. George Wednesday evening to ensure that children selected from across Washington County don’t go without a Christmas this holiday season.

Volunteers flood into Bloomington Wal-Mart to shop for needy family through KONY Coins for Kids, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015| Photo by Cody Blowers
Volunteers flooded into Bloomington Wal-Mart Wednesday to shop for needy family through the Kony Coins for Kids program, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015| Photo by Cody Blowers

On a clear and chilly Wednesday evening, many volunteers crowded into the Bloomington Wal-Mart to participate in the shopping phase of the Kony Coins for Kids program.

The line of volunteers, from church groups to groups of friends and families stretched  from the western entrance of the store down the exterior wall of the storefront.

Volunteers were placed in teams to shop for lists of specific toys and clothes requested for the families.

The effort was part of Kony Coins for Kids, a community-based charity that raises many thousands of dollars every year to purchase Christmas presents for children.

In addition to raising money each year, Kony Coins for Kids also organizes a massive community volunteer effort to purchase presents from local retailers, wrap them, and then deliver them to those needy families.

Church groups, social groups, and family groups shop for needy children at Bloomington Wal-Mart for KONY Coins for Kids, St. George, Utah, Ded. 16, 2015|Photo by Cody Blowers
Church groups, social groups, and family groups shopped for needy children at Bloomington Wal-Mart for the Kony Coins for Kids program, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015|Photo by Cody Blowers

Kony Coins for Kids is a project that began in 1990 when radio personality, Carl Lamar, with the help of others at Kony 99.5 FM, decided to raise money on his radio show to help a family in need.

In its first year, in 1990, Coins for Kids raised $2,500 to help buy presents for 10 area families.

This year, volunteers raised nearly $110,000, providing Christmas for over 1,500 kids in Washington County, with over 1,200 being shopped for Wednesday night and another 300 children taken care of through donated toys, Lamar said.

3 UHaul trucks parked in front of Bloomington Wal-Mart for KONY Coins for Kids to transport toys for wrapping, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015| Photo by Cody Blowers
Three U-Haul trucks parked in front of Bloomington Wal-Mart for Kony Coins for Kids to transport toys for wrapping, St. George, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015| Photo by Cody Blowers

Everything the organization uses for the operation from wrapping paper and tape to space at the Dixie Center St. George where the presents are sorted, wrapped and staged for delivery is funded and accomplished through donations and volunteers.

All purchases were loaded into three large U-Haul trucks waiting in front of the store and moved to the Dixie Center for wrapping Friday beginning at 8 a.m.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

 

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2 Comments

  • ladybugavenger December 17, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    This whole program is wonderful. Thanks to all the volunteers and donators for their time and effort to give hope to families! Merry Christmas to all!

  • .... December 17, 2015 at 3:02 pm

    Christmas is a lie ! you know that right ? Christmas should be on April 1st. because ‘April’s Fools Day’ is the perfect name for it.

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