Local businesses more than doubled last year’s efforts collecting 83,568 pounds of clothing for the 2011 FirstLight Federal Credit Union Sun Bowl Clothing Drive that will benefit the Goodwill Industries of El Paso and local charities.

 

Local businesses more than doubled last year’s efforts collecting 83,568 pounds of clothing for the 2011 FirstLight Federal Credit Union Sun Bowl Clothing Drive that will benefit the Goodwill Industries of El Paso and local charities.

“We are overwhelmed by the participation of El Paso businesses this year including non-profits, social organizations, churches, city and county offices,” said Tom Andrews, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of El Paso, Inc. “Thirty-six organizations provided 93 locations for donations in El Paso and Dona Ana counties this year. Additionally, the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Beta Sigma Fraternity collected clothing items in the community. We would like to thank the cities of El Paso and Las Cruces for making this year’s drive a great success.”

 

TonsofCouponCodes.com was this year’s top contributor to the clothing drive by collecting the most pounds of clothing for the Goodwill Industries of El Paso. The winner of the contest is awarded a free prebuilt Thanksgiving parade float. Ron Whitehead, owner of TonsofCouponCodes.com, will donate the parade float to the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest.

“I strongly believe that those who are fortunate enough should do their part in giving back to the community,” Whitehead said. “It is important that we unite as a community to help those who are less fortunate, going through a difficult time or just need some extra support.”

This is the second year FirstLight Federal Credit Union, the Sun Bowl Association, the YMCA and Goodwill Industries of El Paso have teamed up to give the annual Thanksgiving parade, now in its 75^th year anniversary, a way to give back to the community that has made the parade the most attended event in the Sun City.

“FirstLight Federal Credit Union is excited about the opportunity to give back to the community through our clothing drive again this year,” said Karl Murphy, President & CEO of FirstLight Federal Credit Union. “The clothing drive provides an opportunity for local businesses and members of the community to come together to support El Paso and Las Cruces.  We are extremely grateful for all the support that has been provided and I would like to express thanks to all those who have participated in this event.”

Collections from the Clothing Drive are valued using a predetermined formula. Goodwill Industries will distribute $2,500 in vouchers to each of the following El Paso and Southern New Mexico charities as a result of this successful clothing drive:

• La Casa in Las Cruces
• El Paso Armed Services YMCA at Fort Bliss
• American Red Cross El Paso Chapter
• Lee and Beulah Moore Children’s Home
• Fort Bliss organization that supports the men and women of the Armed Forces

The vouchers are to be used by clients of these charities to purchase personal goods from Goodwill stores.

“This is a selfless gesture on behalf of Mr. Whitehead’s and TonsofCouponsCodes.com,” Andrews added. “It recognizes the Girl Scouts for their focused commitment for bettering lives of the less fortunate in our community. Because of his generosity about 12 to 15 Girl Scouts will be able to ride on the float while fifty walk alongside the float built by Sun Bowl Association volunteers.”

The 75^th Annual FirstLight Federal Credit Union Sun Bowl Parade is Thursday, November 24 at 10 a.m. The parade route runs along Montana Avenue beginning at Ochoa Street and ending at Copia Street. Review stand tickets for the parade can be purchased at any FirstLight Federal Credit Union branch office, Circle K store locations or at the Sun Bowl Association office for $5. This year’s parade theme is “75 Years of Fun in the Sun”. This year’s grand marshal will be named next week.

Clothing is still being collected to support the clothing drive effort throughout the holiday season at all Goodwill locations.

Complete list of participating businesses and organizations:

• Anytime Fitness
• Armed Services YMCA
• AutoTrans of El Paso
• Business College Council-UTEP
• Camino Real Middle School
• CEA Group
• Chase (All Locations)
• Cici’s Pizza (All Locations)
• City Bank
• City of El Paso
• Costco
• County of El Paso
• Domino’s Pizza (All Locations)
• El Paso Times
• FirstLight Federal Credit Union
• Girl Scouts Desert South West
• Harvest Christian Center
• Job Connection
• Liberty Mutual
• Lulac Project Amistad
• Postal Annex
• Radisson Hotel
• Rudolph Chevrolet
• Rudolph Honda
• Rudolph Mazda
• Sun Bowl Association
• Sun City Storage
• Theta Theta Sigma Chapter Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
• TonsofCouponCodes.com
• TVO North America
• Up and Running
• Varay Systems
• Wal Mart
• Wells Fargo Insurance Services
• YMCA
• Yucca Council Boy Scouts of America