Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust, Inc. Will Receive Donation from Wilbraham-Hampden Welcome Wagon

Proceeds from Holiday Shopping Night will benefit the educational foundation

Wilbraham and Hampden, Mass. Oct. 28, 2003—Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust, Inc. (w.h.a.t.) has been designated as the beneficiary of the Wilbraham-Hampden Welcome Wagon’s 2003 Holiday Shopping Night. The November event is expected to generate several hundred dollars that will be donated to w.h.a.t..

“The Welcome Wagon is a great local organization and we are gratified that it has chosen w.h.a.t. as its designated charity for the 2003 Shopping Night,” said Susan Alston, Vice President of Fund Raising for the educational foundation. According to Alston, w.h.a.t. has a first year fund raising goal of $100,000. “Every donation helps! We hope other local organizations will join with the Welcome Wagon in supporting w.h.a.t.,” Alston said.

The Wilbraham-Hampden Welcome Wagon began its Holiday Shopping Night program in 2002. This year the event will be held on Wednesday, November 12 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Mile Tree School Cafeteria. The Holiday Shopping Night brings together multiple vendors in a festive atmosphere in order to provide a welcoming evening for community residents during which they can purchase items for holiday gifts or for themselves. In addition, the evening generates profits, which are donated to charity. The list of vendors is still being finalized, but currently includes:

Discovery Toys
Polish Pottery
Pampered Chef
Tupperware
Southern Living
Creative Memories
Stampin’ Up
Mary Kay
Partylite Candles
Tastefully Simple
Longaberger Baskets

“w.h.a.t. is the perfect charity for us to support”, said Welcome Wagon president, Cynthia Roach. “Both of these organizations are dedicated to improving and strengthening the community—Welcome Wagon by making new residents feel at home and w.h.a.t. by supporting the school system, which is often the most important factor that draws people to our community.” Roach indicated that the greater the turnout for the Holiday Shopping Night, the larger the donation to w.h.a.t. will be. “We hope this year will be even more successful than 2002,” added Roach.

Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust, Inc. was recently formed by a group of concerned citizens to provide funding for innovative and enriching programs in the regional public school system that serves the two communities. w.h.a.t. is administratively and financially separate from the towns and from the regional school district. “Wilbraham Hampden Academic Trust, Inc. exists to support and strengthen the school system,” said Robert Lounsbury, President. “After all, w.h.a.t. is more important…?!”

Those interested in making a tax-deductible donation directly to w.h.a.t. may mail it to P.O. Box 477, Wilbraham, MA 01095-0477.