LAZER’s 8th Annual Costumes For Kids Drive turns in record-shattering donations!

The goal each year is to get as many Iowa kids in need into Halloween costumes as possible.  In years past, our campaign has helped put many smiles on those faces, but in 2023, we were able to grow our donation delivery exponentially.

Between the generosity of our listeners and our phenomenal partnership with Goodwill of Central Iowa, the LAZER crew delivered a total of 506 costumes and accessories to Children And Families of Iowa, a local non-profit organization that distributes the costumes to kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford one.

We collected new and gently used costumes at the LAZER studios throughout the 4-week campaign and were able to raise a grand total of $5,744.36 through cash donations at the radio station and metro Goodwill of Central Iowa locations.  New this year, Goodwill hosted two “round-up” weekends – one at the beginning of the drive, and one at the end – in which every purchase made by Goodwill shoppers was given the opportunity to “round-up” to the nearest dollar, with all that money going directly to our cause.

With the cash raised, the LAZER staff conducted two shopping trips, which resulted in our record-shattering donation drop at Children and Families of Iowa.

It’s a very HAPPY Halloween, indeed, for area kids in need.

“We’re grateful for all the help we’ve had along the way to make this endeavor a rousing success,” LAZER 103.3 Program Director Andy Hall said Andy Hall said, “And we look forward to the day where every kid who wants to go “Trick-Or-Treating” can do it in style, without the worry of financial hardship.”

Local talent from the Des Moines Radio Group participated in various events at the Iowa State Fair, including judging the Mr. Legs Contest, hosting the Air Guitar and ’80s Hair Contest, participating in the Cow Chip Throwing Contest, hosting Skyglider Speed Dating, and more!
Fair attendants also had the chance to meet their favorite radio personalities, get temporary tattoos, and enjoy family-friendly activities at the KidFind Headquarters, presented by Goodwill of Central Iowa.

Thank you Central Iowa for all of your support to help raise cash and food donations for the Food Bank of Iowa! Together, we helped raise over $21,000 and over 4,000 backpacks for the Food Bank of Iowa’s BackPack Program!

What we raised will help re-stock the shelves of the Food Bank, help fund child development programs, and help kids and their families deal with food insecurity.

Special thanks to Confluence Brewing Company for their $5,000 match donation and their own internal fundraising efforts — plus, all of you for making a contribution towards The Walking Fed Food Drive to benefit the Food Bank of Iowa! Though the campaign has ended, you can still make a contribution to the Food Bank of Iowa.

If you had a Girl Scout Cookie stand, STAR 102.5 had money in hand.

With STAR 102.5’s Girl Scout Cookie Buyout, presented by The Learning Post & Toys, STAR accepted submissions for Girl Scout Cookie stands all over the Des Moines area to stop by and buy cookies. Over the course of two and a half weeks, Ken, Kurt, and Tawinee surprised 10 different troops, buying $100 of cookies from each stand!

From Caramel Delights to Adventurefuls, from Toast-Yays to Trefoils, Ken, Kurt, and Tawinee purchased 200 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, with the help of the presenting sponsor The Learning Post and Toys. All boxes of cookies were donated to the Food Bank of Iowa.

ith the NCAA Tournament happening in our backyard, the Des Moines Radio Group stations took the opportunity to celebrate along with all fans downtown at Hoops and Hops. For three days, local talent took to the street (or the heated tent) to show their team spirit and hang out with fans and listeners from all over the Midwest.

ESPN Des Moines’ own Mike Wickett covered all the first and second round games that happened at Wells Fargo Arena.

Volunteering is a rewarding way to give back to our community, and that’s exactly what 93.3 KIOA’s Luke Matthews did when he served as a judge for the inaugural Lego build fundraiser for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. The event was a huge success, and everyone involved had a great time building with Lego for a good cause.

Prevent Child Abuse Iowa is an organization that works to prevent child abuse in the state of Iowa through education, awareness, and advocacy. The Lego build fundraiser was a unique way to support the organization, as teams competed in building challenges using Lego bricks. Luke was one of the judges for the event, helping to determine the winners of each round and ultimately crowning the overall champion.

The event was held at Fox Brewing in West Des Moines on February 23, 2023, and teams from various organizations and businesses participated. The team from Musco, a lighting company based in Iowa, was ultimately voted as the winners after five rounds of building with Lego. The competition was fierce, but the team from Musco impressed the judges with their creativity, teamwork, storytelling, and attention to detail.

Luke loved to be a part of such a fun and meaningful event. As a volunteer judge, he got to see firsthand how the teams worked together to create their Lego masterpieces. He was impressed by the level of creativity and storytelling on display, and he enjoyed being a part of the process of determining the winners as an avid Lego builder himself.

More than anything, the Lego build fundraiser was a great way to support Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. By participating in the event, teams and individuals were able to make a difference in the lives of children and families across the state. Luke looks forward to volunteering for future events with the organization.

The inaugural Lego build fundraiser for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa brought people together for a fun and worthy cause, and the team from Musco emerged as the deserving winner. By volunteering their time and resources, everyone involved was able to make a positive impact on the community and support an important cause.

Learn more about Prevent Child Abuse Iowa now.