MEDIA ALERT
Contact:
Katie Thaman
Communications Manager
Office: (314) 453-0453, ext. 25
Cell: (618) 292-6974
katie@varietystl.org
www.varietystl.org
December 1, 2006
NEXT FRIDAY SCHNUCKS TOY TROLLEY WILL TRAVEL THE REGION TO BRING SANTA, TOYS AND A HOLIDAY PARTY TO SEVEN CHILDREN’S AGENCIES
WHO: Schnuck Markets Inc. will host the 11th annual Schnucks Toy Trolley holiday party to benefit more than 375 local children served by Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis, formerly Variety Club. Children, ages 2 to 18, will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa and his helpers as they arrive in the familiar red and green trolley car replica. Participating Variety supported agencies include Catholic Children’s Home, Central Institute for the Deaf, Children’s Home Society, Grace Hill Settlement House, Hyde Park Outreach, Lemay Child and Family Center and Northside Community Center.
WHAT: At 8:20 a.m. at Schnucks headquarters, Santa, Schnucks associates, Mama Claus, Variety staff and community volunteers dressed as elves decked out in festive green and red costumes will load the Schnucks Toy Trolley with see-through bags of toys. At 8:40 a.m., Santa and his crew will embark on their daylong journey to participating Variety partner agencies across the region from Alton, Ill., to South County.
Children will experience the joy and excitement of the holidays when Santa personally presents each child with a toy wrapped in brilliant holiday paper. Children will be extraordinarily surprised when Santa’s mother accompanies him to distribute the toys. The jubilation continues afterwards at each agency when children attend a holiday party planned especially for them.
Schnuck Markets Inc. has funded this annual holiday party for 11 years to benefit Variety partner agency children in the Greater St. Louis region. In preparation for the toy distribution, Schnucks associates will volunteer their time next week to sort and wrap more than 375 gifts, including a special stocking stuffer for each child.
SITE Improvement Association Inc., a professional organization of contractors in the St. Louis area, donates toys to this outreach effort in conjunction with its annual holiday party. Also donating toys are Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, Triton Company and Variety Women, a committee of Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis. Additional funding for toys is provided by individual donors who contributed to a special appeal at Variety’s Nov. 14, 2006, Allocations Luncheon.
Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis, formerly Variety Club, serves children with physical and mental disabilities in the Greater St. Louis region, each time they need assistance, from infancy to the age of 21. Variety recently received its second consecutive Charity Navigator 4-star rating, their highest award. This rare consecutive rating for any non-profit was awarded to Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis for its efficiency to allocate and grow its finances.
WHEN/WHERE: Friday, December 8 – 8:20 a.m. toys will be loaded into the Schnucks Toy Trolley Schnuck Markets Inc. Headquarters, 11420 Lackland Road, St. Louis, Mo., 63146
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