Since 2022, local business Tough Guys Lighting and Landscaping has put on its Winter Lights Festival in Laramie’s Washington Park. A centerpiece is the Whoville Cocoa Hut, where local non-profits raised money by selling hot chocolate. This year, 16 non-profits participated.
One of those was the Laramie High School Football Booster Club. The president, Melinda Klinger, sat at the window of the quaint green shack known as the Whooville Cocoa Hut.
Around her kids wrapped in their winter jackets ran around a park glowing with light displays. People admired a tractor wrapped in lights and couples walked under a lit archway.
“It costs a lot of money to run a football team, so we help raise money,” Klinger said. “It helps support any of our lower-income families. All of our fundraising comes from local, from our community.”
But the money raised this night didn’t go to Laramie High School Football. Instead, the funds were used to participate in Walmart and The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. At the local Walmart, names and wish lists of those in need can be selected and purchased by participants.
“We’re raising money to sponsor local children for Christmas, so we’re gonna go and take the boys shopping to go pick out toys, and the moms will wrap,.” Klinger said.
The Whoville Cocoa Hut allows charities and non-profits to sell hot chocolate at the park. They keep 100% of the money. General manager Brian Welper said the cocoa hut is a way for Tough Guys to support their community through charity.
“We want this festival where we can provide an experience for the community, but how can we also raise money for non-profits, that allows businesses to know: my money’s going to something good,” Welper said. “The one thing we always say is, ‘How do we make it free to a public but rich in experience?’”
Not all of the non-profit’s earnings at the festival come from hot chocolate sales. Every year, Tough Guys selects a certain amount of sponsors’ donations to give to every group that participates. This combination of sponsorships and sales has been successful. In 2024, they raised almost $10,000.
On another chilly night, Brittany Brigham was at the window of the Whoville Cocoa Hut. There was a line of people waiting to buy hot chocolate. Brigham is Laramie Interfaith’s Vice President. They work to alleviate homelessness and food insecurity.
“Currently, we have a food pantry that is open throughout the week, and then we also help with utilities and rental assistance,” she said.
Brigham said local fundraisers like this play a key role in allowing the group to carry out their mission.
“It’s really important to us to build those partnerships within our community, just because we do rely on a lot of grant funding and when times are uncertain, it’s really important that we are able to raise funds to help meet the need in other ways, as well,” she said.
Alongside local fundraising, Laramie Interfaith relies on federal grants.
“We had funding paused temporarily. Now we are still operating and everything is going smoothly, but there’s certainly concerns of what the future could bring,” said Brigham.
Brigham’s favorite part of the festival was learning about her community and teaching them about Laramie Interfaith.
“It’s really fun to learn more about their stories or see the kids get excited, and be able to explain what Interfaith does,” she said. “When they hear what Interfaith is able to do, people rally, and then they hear how far it can go. So, we couldn’t do this without our people.”
Besides selling hot cocoa, there are a lot of other activities at the festival. The public can enjoy a horse-drawn carriage that goes around the park. There’s also golf cart tours for seniors, veteran and first-responder appreciation night, as well as appearances from Santa.
Tough Guys Marketing director Bree-Anna Mustad said they hope to create core memories for the community.
“Last year, I was standing there with my three and a half year-old daughter, and her body went into what I could only describe as shock,” she said “Her whole face lit up. The lights just all, you know, shined all over the park. And I just was fixated on her expression the whole time. I just have captured that memory for the rest of my life.”
This year marked the Whoville Cocoa Hut’s third year. Other non-profits will have a turn to look for support from the Laramie Community till January 23rd.
