APA Phoenix Metro League Operators Doug & Gina Nowlin and West Phoenix APA League Operators Lance & Tina Schulze partnered together to benefit Claus’s for Cause, a local charity near and dear to their hearts. Claus’s for Cause coordinates many charitable endeavors throughout the year, with a big push in December. Mike & Tammi Ridder, founders of Claus’s for Cause, are in a national Santa Claus group and have been dressing up as Santa and Mrs. Claus for 31 years. They’re also players in both Phoenix APA Leagues.
The Ridder’s (Santa & Mrs. Claus) were asked to visit a local school in 2008 to hand out gifts and take photos. They were so touched by the children at the school, they made it their goal each year since then to raise money for more children at the school. An endeavor that started out providing toys to one classroom has now expanded to provide toys to nearly every child at the school.
The two Leagues ran four events to support the Claus’s for Cause toy drive. They ran a toy drive and motorcycle poker run to Payson, Ariz., on Oct. 16. On Nov. 21, they held a toy drive at Barefoot Bob’s in Prescott, Ariz., and on Nov. 27 ran a toy drive at Main Street Billiards in Mesa, Ariz. On Dec. 11, they ran the final toy drive of the year at Bullshooters in Phoenix, Ariz.
The APA family in Phoenix raised $2,523! The goal was to reach 1,000 toys so they could give toys to all the classrooms at the school in Phoenix for less fortunate children. When all was said and done, the final toy count was 1,016, exceeding the goal!
