Special Veggie Tales Event to Benefit Mission of Hope

WJMM Life 99.1 radio station will present an exclusive pre-showing of Veggie Tales newest DVD release, “The Princess and the Popstar,” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the 300-seat KidStuf Family Theater in Southern Acres Christian Church in Lexington.

This special DVD showing will provide a fun-filled morning for the family, as well as serve as an extension of the station’s “Christmas in July” collection for Mission of Hope.
Mission of Hope is a non-profit Christian ministry started in 1996 that serves schoolchildren in 27 Appalachian schools, 15 of them in Kentucky.

At Christmas, MOH volunteers deliver new toys, clothing, warm coats, food and hygiene items to schools at which 85% or more of the students are on free or reduced lunch.
In lieu of an admission fee to the Veggie Tales movie, families are encouraged to bring a donation of new toys, school supplies, children’s clothes, hygiene and gift items.

Donations also can be made at Mission of Hope Big Blue Barrels at the following locations:  Ron McCauley Nissan, Chrysler, Dodge & Jeep of Nicholasville; Roberts Health Foods; Culvers of Lexington on Meijer Way; Toyota on Nicholasville and Louisville Tile.

This is the third year of the radio station’s “Christmas in July” campaign, station manager Benson Gregory said. Gregory was born in Appalachia in Virginia near the Kentucky border.

“I know first-hand what that area is like, and it is near to my heart,” he said. “We love what the Mission of Hope is doing because it is such a valuable service. And we know that not a penny raised will be wasted.”

Info: 859-264-9700 or www.wjmm.com.

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How You Can Help

Mission of Hope also reaches out to Appalachian schoolchildren through its Back-To-School backpack program, started in 1998.

From Aug. 1-19 this year, MOH volunteers will fill 10,000 backpacks with pens, pencils, notebooks, scissors, glue sticks, crayons and more for delivery to 27 elementary schools in rural Appalachian communities – more than half in Eastern Kentucky.

“We want to break the cycle of poverty, which is multi-generational,” says Emmette Thompson, MOH’s Executive Director. “Education is instrumental in that effort. We encourage students to get a high school degree and perhaps even a college education.”

Make a donation to the Mission of Hope education fund. Or make a donation in memory of, or in honor of a family friend or loved one.
Info: 865-584-7571 or www.missionofhope.org