Seguin Pours heart into another successful KWED Holiday Food & Toy Drive

(Seguin) – Tis the Season of Giving in Seguin. Thanks to you and the rest of the local community, Seguin Radio, in just two hours Friday morning, collected $8,183 during its annual Holiday Food and Toy Drive benefiting the Christian Cupboard and Seguin Police Department Blue Santa Program.

Community leaders including the Seguin Police Department, the Seguin Fire/EMS Department, and the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, stood inside the turning lane outside the studios at 609 E. Court St to collect cash, coins and check donations.

In addition to money, vehicles were loaded with hundreds of toys and close to 900 pounds of food for the Christian Cupboard.

Among those making his annual donation to the holiday drive was Guadalupe County Attorney Dave Willborn. Volunteers were kept busy unloading a truck and trailer piled high with of toys and food – a donation he says has been instilled by family tradition.

“I’ve been for the sixth year in a row been able to partner with ATX Auctions and they do everything they can to make sure that kids around here still get to experience the magic of Christmas despite the fact that things are tough for everybody,” said Willborn. “It’s one of the most important things that we have in my family. My dad in 1968 started Blue Santa in San Antonio. He took food out of our cupboard to feed families that were hungry and then grew it from there and now, I’m just trying to continue the tradition to be sure that my children continue the same thing my daddy did.”

Rolling up his sleeves to do his part was Seguin City Manager Steve Parker. Parker says was appreciative to have been a part of this year’s community collection.
“This is awesome. I drove by last year. I didn’t realize what was happening. This year, I got invited and I’m really glad that I am here. It just really inspires you to do more and more and so I’m really excited about this,” said Parker.

Representing those in Guadalupe County, who also benefit from these items collected at KWED, was Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher and Commissioner Drew Engelke.
Kutscher says like clockwork, this is one event he works hard not to miss.

“It definitely makes it feel like the beginning of Christmas. It’s such a special time here. We’ve been through some of the most trying and troubling times in recent history, but this is definitely a testament of how strong our community is and how special we have it here in Guadalupe County and Seguin,” said Kutscher.

The mixture of community partners is what really makes it possible to be able to draw in so many collections during this two-hour period. Over the years, groups prepare to give on this day – a true illustration of what the Seguin community is all about. That’s according to Seguin Mayor Donna Dodgen.

“There has been more participation this year than ever. Everyone is so excited and just giving and doing. It’s so wonderful to see everybody being so loving, so happy, so together and glad to be a community,” said Dodgen.

Seguin Police Chief Terry Nichols says the police department appreciates the Holiday Drive. He says their efforts are not only about collecting toys but making sure that those who need help get it.

“I want to thank you for hosting this annually. This is a huge part of what we do in the community. It’s part of the community engagement that we’ve done for years. We want to help those that are less fortunate than some of us and have them have a Merry Christmas and have presents under the tree, so this is a way to gather, get toys, get food for the food bank and have the community give back and we are just proud to be a part of it,” said Nichols. “So, we had transition this year, our Chief Elf for many many years, if you remember Hope Vasquez retired. We aren’t starting new. We are taking what she built and building on it as best as we can. Our applications are down so we are asking anybody that has a need or has someone who has a need, please reach out to us because we have the resources. We are getting the toys and we are getting the gifts, but we aren’t getting the applications that we need so please if you know a family in need or somebody, come to us. Please fill out an application and we’ll make sure it gets processed,” said Nichols.

Also never missing a drive is Guadalupe County Sheriff Arnold Zwicke. Zwicke says he is thankful to be a part of this community tradition.

“The Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office is proud to have been asked to help with this many years ago. I can’t even remember when we got started. I had hair,” laughed Zwicke. “But, it’s been a great deal. It’s just so awesome for the community and Guadalupe County – the turnout is great. The support is great. It’s a good day.”

Like the police chief and sheriff, Seguin Fire Chief Dale Skinner says he and his firefighters are also grateful to provide support.

“You know to me; this is what Christmas is all about and I love this town and I love that Blue Santa is every year. We love coming out and supporting our brothers in blue and helping with this worthy cause especially at a time like this,” said Skinner.

Another major contribution of new toys also came in from the Seguin Parrot Head Club. Rolling in with approximately $2,000 in new toys were several of the club’s members. Club member Dewey Lawhon says supporting the Blue Santa Program is one of several charities that the club supports each year.

“The Seguin Parrot Heads do a little bit of fundraising throughout the year but they do a massive fundraising project in August called the Phling and we use 95 to 98 percent of that money to support our local charity groups all throughout the Guadalupe and Comal Counties and Seguin and New Braunfels and we also voted as a club to donate $1,500 to the Seguin Police Department Blue Santa Program and what we did instead of asking them to go shopping, we went shopping for them. So, we bought almost $2,000 worth of toys and gift and presents,” said Lawhon.

Seguin, Navarro and Texas Lutheran University were also all well represented at this year’s KWED Holiday Food and Toy Drive.

Not only did the Seguin Matador Band and Navarro Jazz Band split the morning by providing live holiday music but several school groups were also on hand cheering and collecting donations from the streets.

Helping accept donations was Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez. Gutierrez says such efforts are vital to the school children and families that the district serves.

“This is one of the highlights of the holiday season is being here with the community where the community comes out to support those who need additional support as far as food and toys and especially given this year with everything that is has happening as the result of COVID and with prices rising up, I think there is a bigger need this year and so, I’m so thankful that we have this opportunity to come together and do this. I’m also thankful for the Matador band who is adding some additional Christmas spirit to this event this morning,” said Dr. Gutierrez.

Navarro ISD Superintendent Wendi Russell and members of her team were also out in full force collecting items. Russell says next year, they hope to even pick it up a notch by coming out to support the effort in matching shirts and other holiday décor. She says the holiday drive is such a fun way to ensure that every child including many of their students find that special gift under the Christmas tree.

TLU President Debbie Cottrell also joined the holiday festivities in the street. Holding signs to promote the event, Dr. Cottrell helped bring in donations with the help of both members of the TLU football team and cheerleading squad. Even mascot Lucky joined in on the action.

“We are so happy to be out here with some students. We’ve got some staff out here. We know this is a great cause for our community. We are glad to be a part of it,” said Dr. Cottrell.
While most community partners returned for the annual event, new folks like those from the Community Council of South-Central Texas came out to also lend a hand. Ernest Leal, of the CCSCT, says the collection of food and Christmas toys is and should be a community effort. He says he knows that many of the families they work with will be served by these gifts.
These individuals we reported, are of course, are only a handful of many others who came out to help with the effort. Again, KWED radio extends many thanks to each individual, band student and/or athlete who was on hand for the event.

KWED would also like to thank this year’s business partners who were a part of helping to host the large group of community supporters who collected from the streets. They included Joe Cool’s AC and Heating, Court Street Coffee, Arlan’s, the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce, HEB, Burger King, Buddy’s Home Furnishing, Soechting Motors and Diamond Air.
Donations of food and toys will continue to be collected through 3 p.m. each day this week in the radio station lobby. Seguin Radio KWED is located at 609 E. Court St.