Warm The Children

As the chill of fall settles in the North Woods, plans are underway for the 29th annual Warm The Children (WTC) winter clothing program.

“We began planning with the Eagle River Rotary Club in August, and we are excited to launch this season’s program on November 1, 2025,” shared Nancy Brandner, WTC program coordinator.

Volunteer shoppers and families will begin shopping on Saturday, November 1, and continue through December 14, 2025.

Warm The Children partners with Vilas County Social Services to assist qualified families in purchasing winter clothing for children ages newborn to 17.

Families must be residents of Vilas County or the Three Lakes/Sugar Camp area in Oneida County.

Applications are available at the Vilas County Social Services office, at the Vilas County News-Review office, or online at eagleriverrotary.com.

The program strives to provide high-quality clothing that lasts beyond one season.

Local businesses, including Northland Clothing Company in Three Lakes and Glik’s in Eagle River, provide support by offering a 25% discount to the program, and purchases are tax-exempt. This stretches funds further while ensuring families can choose from a wide selection of warm, durable clothing. Purchases are limited to essential winter items such as coats, footwear, mittens, scarves, sweaters, and other basics.

Debbie Buss is coordinating the volunteer shoppers, who will meet families at the store and assist with selecting clothing. “Volunteers are at the heart of this program,” Buss said. “They not only help families shop, but also make the experience warm and welcoming for parents and children.” Anyone interested in volunteering may contact Debbie at 715-891-9235.

In 2024, the program served 468 families. Warm The Children would not be possible without the generosity of full-time and seasonal area residents, and our local clubs and organizations.

Fundraising efforts for the 2025 season are underway, with a goal of $80,000.

The Eagle River Rotary Club Foundation is coordinating efforts, with help from the Vilas County News-Review, Nancy Brandner and Debbie Buss. The foundation has received a generous donation from Byron McNutt to cover all of the expenses for this year.

Donations may be sent to the Eagle River Rotary Foundation, PO Box 1191, Eagle River, WI 54521. The Vilas County News-Review will also accept donations, with checks made payable to the Eagle River Rotary Foundation.

“Donations of any amount, whether $5, $20, $100 or more, will be recognized in the newspaper unless the donor wishes to remain anonymous,” Brandner said. “Gifts may also be made in honor or in memory of a loved one. Every donation makes a difference.”

The Rotary Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by U.S. law.

Warm The Children was started in 1993 by then newspaper publisher Mack Stewart of Higganum, Conn., to ensure underprivileged children had access to warm winter clothing.

Byron McNutt, retired publisher of the Vilas County News-Review, brought the program to the North Woods in 1996, where it has flourished under the guidance of the newspaper staff, community volunteers and the Eagle River Rotary Club Foundation.

With the community’s continued support, Warm The Children will once again keep hundreds of local children warm throughout the long Wisconsin winter.

The Rotary Club Foundation of Eagle River has assumed management and operation of the award-winning Warm The Children (WTC) program to ensure its long-term sustainability.

For decades, the Rotary Foundation partnered with the Vilas County News-Review on a joint venture that raises approximately $80,000 annually and provides new winter clothing for more than 450 children in Vilas and Oneida counties.

Multi Media Channels (MMC), which acquired the News-Review in April 2023, transferred oversight of the program to the Rotary Club. The newspaper will continue supporting the effort through local coverage and other community-based services.

Rotary leaders confirmed that longtime WTC coordinator Nancy Brandner of Eagle River will continue to lead fundraising and coordinate volunteers. Debbie Buss, also of Eagle River, will remain involved, assisting with planning, correspondence, and coordination of the many volunteer shoppers who help families select clothing each November.

Warm The Children is a Connecticut-based nonprofit established locally nearly 30 years ago by then-publisher Byron McNutt, a Rotary member and past president. The program has earned multiple community-service honors from both the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the National Newspaper Association.

Since its inception, readers of the News-Review have contributed more than $2 million to help local families. The Rotary Club Foundation enhanced fundraising capacity by offering its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, enabling contributions from family trusts and charitable foundations.

Rotary plans to continue using the existing systems and partnerships that have made the program successful while strengthening its sustainability for the future. Key partners include Glik’s of Eagle River and Northland Clothing Co. of Three Lakes, both of which provide discounted winter apparel for participating families.

In 2024, Warm The Children raised more than $80,000 and provided $260 per child to 468 children. Children under the age of two received $130. Family applications are reviewed by Vilas County Social Services to ensure eligibility.

MMC General Manager Mike Hollihan confirmed that the Vilas County News-Review remains committed to supporting Rotary’s leadership of the program.

Warm The Children was originally founded in 1988 by newspaper publisher Mack W. Stewart in Connecticut, who encouraged community newspapers nationwide to join the effort. The News-Review answered that call, and since 1995, the Rotary Club Foundation has served as the program’s fiscal partner.

“As our community’s needs have grown, so too have the donations,” said Kim Swisher, Treasurer of the Eagle River Rotary Club and Foundation. “We are deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity of our donors and the volunteers who make this work possible.”

Donations can be mailed to:

Eagle River Rotary Club Foundation
Warm The Children (WTC)
PO Box 1191
Eagle River, WI 54521

The Rotary Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The federal tax ID is #22-3931662. All gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by U.S. law.