Marion Body Works donates gifts

Thirty-one local area children in need had a Merry Christmas with the help of Marion Body Works’ annual Christmas for Kids fundraiser.

Gift recipients are residents of the Marion, Tigerton, Clintonville and Shawano communities.

Marion Body Works’ Christmas for Kids provides employees at the company an opportunity to support local needs in two different ways.

Annually, in December, Marion holds a raffle among the employees. Two winners receive an extra vacation day to use in the following year.

Many employees purchased $2965 worth of raffle tickets were purchased by employees. Marion Body Works matched the $2,965 for a donation total of $5,930.

The proceeds of the raffle are used to purchase gifts for Christmas for Kids, and remaining dollars were donated to local food pantries.

Along with the raffle, giving trees were placed around the Marion and Shawano facilities.

Employees selected cards off the giving trees that include the interests, age, and sizes of a particular child that is in need of support this holiday season.

Once gifts for that child were purchased, Marion Body Works Caring Committee members wrapped and distributed gifts to the area schools.

Between the purchased gifts, and the proceeds from the vacation raffle, the company was able to provide Christmas gifts for 31 children.

The Christmas for Kids fundraiser is a long-standing tradition in Marion Body Works’ history. However, the addition of the Shawano community is new to the 117-year-old company.

In October of 2022, Marion Body Works opened an additional manufacturing facility in Shawano.

“It is a unique opportunity to expand our legacy of community support to a different area of Wisconsin,” said MacKenzie Stewart, Marion Body Works Caring Committee chairperson. “We look forward to finding ways we can positively impact Shawano while continuing to expand our contributions in the Marion, Tigerton and Clintonville area.”