Weigel's Brings Joy to 250 Children

Bill Weigel, chairman of Weigel’s, chats with a volunteer during the Weigel’s Family Christmas shopping event for children in need.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based Weigel’s hosted its 25th Weigel’s Family Christmas on December 3—a special event that brought 250 local children in need and more than 350 volunteers together for a Christmas shopping spree.

Each year Weigel’s organizes and funds the event, while the Salvation Army assists in selecting children from East Tennessee communities. Since the program’s inception in 1998, more than 4,600 children have received Christmas gifts through the charity.

“We are overjoyed to be celebrating 250 kids, the most we’ve ever sponsored, and give them the joy of shopping and having a special day” said Kurt Weigel, training and recruiting director at Weigel’s. “Our volunteers are often entire families, coming together to give back to our community. We’re especially excited to see the growth of this special day.”

Children receive breakfast and lunch to bookend their time shopping with volunteers.

Prior to shopping, the volunteers prepare a complimentary breakfast for the children and prepare lunch for the children’s return, while other volunteers help the children with their Christmas shopping spree at a local Target store.

“This December is especially heartwarming to now be able to reflect on many years of our volunteers impacting the lives of these kids, as well as the kids making an impact on our volunteers,” said Bill Weigel, chairman of Weigel’s. “We love watching the kids shop and seeing their faces light up. This day is special, filled with smiles galore and tears of joy, and it truly makes our holiday season as much as we help make theirs.”

In The Community

Every year, the convenience and fuel retailing industry dedicates billions of dollars to advancing the futures of individuals and families in our communities. The NACS Foundation unifies and builds on NACS members’ charitable efforts to amplify their work in communities across America and to share these powerful stories.

Learn more at www.conveniencecares.org.

LOVE’S PROVIDES HOLIDAY MEAL KITS

Love’s Travel Stops and Operation Homefront distributed 150 holiday meal kits to military families in December. This was the third-consecutive year for the event serving preregistered families through Operation Homefront’s Holiday Meals for Military.

“The Holiday Meals for Military is an event we look forward to every year,” said Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer and executive vice president of Love’s. “We’re always proud to join Operation Homefront in playing a small part in providing support and comfort to military families during holidays and love seeing the excitement on families faces when they pick up the kits.”

PILOT SUPPORTS WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

The Pilot Company sponsored Wreaths Across America Radio and its live coverage of the 2022 Escort to Arlington National Cemetery, a weeklong tradition of support and remembrance for our nation’s heroes.

Pilot Company also funded the placement of more than 1,300 wreaths at participating cemeteries across Tennessee. In Arlington, Virginia, it also sponsored the Truckload Carriers Association’s annual appreciation dinner for the Wreaths Across America truck drivers the night before National Wreaths Across America Day.

“On behalf of all of us here at Pilot, thank you to all our service members out there for your service and sacrifice for our country. We are honored to be a part of Wreaths Across America’s mission and be able to remember and pay our respects this holiday season by placing wreaths on the final resting place of our nation’s heroes,” said Jordan Spradling, vice president of transportation at Pilot Company.

RUTTER’S DONATES $75,000 TO LOCAL GROUPS

Rutter’s awarded a total of $75,000 to four local organizations within its operating area as part of the York, Pennsylvania-based company’s 2022 Vote With Your Dollars program. The groups included the Adams County SPCA ($25,000), Make-A-Wish Greater PA & WV ($25,000), Ronald McDonald House Central PA ($15,000) and York Habitat for Humanity ($10,000).

“Supporting our local communities is a crucial part of Rutter’s values,” said Chris Hartman, Rutter’s vice president of fuels, advertising and development. “We love giving our customers the opportunity to help direct our donations to organizations they are passionate about, which makes it even more fun.”

SHEETZ CHAMPIONS KIDS

Sheetz in December held its annual Sheetz for the Kidz campaign, which has helped more than 150,000 children in need in the communities Sheetz serves celebrate the holidays.

In 2021, Sheetz raised $2.2 million through the campaign, which was the most the retailer has raised since the program’s inception in 1992.

Sheetz for the Kidz also partners with Make-A-Wish foundation, and a portion of the 2022 funds raised will sponsor wishes for 61 children.

ONVO SUPPORTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Onvo presented a $21,000 check to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition for funds raised during October through sales of pink ribbons to support breast cancer awareness.

“Our store teams were honored to have the opportunity to support the PA Breast Cancer Coalition, and it showed in their eagerness to promote this fundraiser at the store level,” said Bill Donmoyer, vice president of operations—travel plazas, for Scranton, Pennsylvania-based Onvo. “I’m really proud of our store teams for exceeding our goals for this fundraiser.”