Local Gym Owner Turns Promise Into Countywide Holiday Giving
Anthony Rosales, owner of Wowie’s Event Center and Wowie’s Gym, led a holiday drive on December 23 that raised two thousand dollars and delivered roughly six hundred toys to families and children across McKinley County. The effort matters because it filled gaps for 234 local children including teenagers and students who could not return home for the holidays, highlighting how local businesses and nonprofits supplement social services.
On December 23, Anthony Rosales mobilized volunteers, sponsors and his business resources to deliver toys and programming to children in McKinley County. Rosales and partner organizations raised two thousand dollars and collected approximately six hundred toys which were distributed to 234 children at Christian Child Care, Hogan Hozhoni, Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home and other local programs. The beneficiaries ranged from infants two months old to young adults 18 years old, and included 20 students in Fort Wingate who were unable to go home over the holiday break.
Rosales used resources from Wowie’s Event Center and Wowie’s Gym to stage activities including inflatable bouncy houses and a mechanical bull named El Chapo. He dressed as the Grinch for visits to children’s homes, a theatrical element that the organizers said helped create memorable interactions for the children. The effort expanded through a partnership with Esther Sanchez and Jesse’s Angels, which provided cash and gift cards targeted at older children and teenagers, a population whose needs often differ from those of younger children.
Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home, which mainly houses teenagers, received donations and said the event increased awareness of its programs. Rosales has sustained community work beyond the holiday season, supporting back to school haircuts and trunk or treat events, positioning his business as a local hub for philanthropic activity.
The drive demonstrates the practical impact of local civic engagement and private philanthropy on county residents who lack federal or state supports during short term crises such as holiday breaks. Dollars raised and toys collected provided immediate relief and joy, while partnerships between small businesses and nonprofit groups extended reach to older youth often overlooked in toy drives. Rosales reflected on the personal reward of the work saying, "All of a sudden, here comes this little kid… he just came up and gave us all a hug… That made me tear up." He added, "Just seeing them happy makes me happy. We do everything! Whatever we can do to help the community, we go for.
Sources:
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
