Grace Epperly, development coordinator for Wesley House Family Services, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the organization.
The Holiday Village and Be-Lighted Bike Ride is just a few days away.
Epperly said, “We are so excited. This is our fourth Holiday Village and Be-Lighted Bike Ride. It’s going to be Friday, December 6, from 5 to 9pm at the Coffee Butler amphitheater, and then our famous Be-Lighted Bike ride will begin at 8, leave from the amphitheater. That bike route is going to follow basically the same, route as the Fantasy Fest parade. Come out of the amphitheater, turn left on the Whitehead, right on Front, right on Duvall, go all the way up Duvall and end at our official after party, which is the Speakeasy Inn and Rum Bar at 1117 Duvall Street. Just to touch on the what’s going on at the holiday village, this is the family friendly event kick off the holidays. The holiday village is the family friendly pre party to the Be-Lighted Bike Ride. From 5 to 7pm we’ll have photos with Santa on the grand stage. We have nine carnival style rides and holiday themed bounce houses. Then we have over 20 community booths providing free activities for the kids games, crafts, activities, and then we also have food vendors, and we have four community performances this year. The entry fee is only $20 and that gets you unlimited rides and everything that I just mentioned as well. So we have $20 a person, or four tickets for $70 and then children three and under are free. This year, at 7:45pm we’re going to have a best dressed elf costume contest for kids and adults. So it’s just going to be so much fun, and we just invite the community to come out and spread some holiday cheer and kick off the holidays with us at the Wesley House, Holiday Village and Be-Lighted Bike Ride.”
Could there be some snow?
Epperly said, “There might be some snow. It might be cold enough that there might snow this year. We encourage everyone to come early so you do get those photos on the grand stage from 5 to 7, but if you miss those Santa photos, we will have Santa photos provided by Coca Cola from seven to nine. And Tickets can be purchased on our website. We also encourage you to get your tickets early, so that way you get that express check in QR code and can avoid the line.”
A lot of sponsors came together to make this possible. Be sure to check them all out on the website.
Epperly said, “We have, of course, Party 105 and your radio station. So we’re so happy to have you guys as our as our sponsor. If you’re only planning on doing the bike ride, we do encourage you to purchase a ticket, because this is a fundraiser for Wesley House Family Services. The proceeds benefit all of our programs, and it does help us offset some of the expenses for the for the event itself. So again, if you’re just doing the bike ride, we still encourage a ticket purchase.”
What are some of the services that Wesley House provides?
Epperly said, “We are basically the child welfare agency in Monroe County, so we provide foster care for children when they need to be removed from their homes to keep them safe. We license foster parents throughout Monroe County, and then we have our Healthy Families Program, which is a free, voluntary program. Eligible women who are pregnant or their children are three months or less, they’re eligible to join. Then we work with the entire family until that child is age five and in Key West, we have our Inez Martin Child Development Center, which is our preschool for ages two to five. And then we also have adoption services for children in foster care who are not able to be reunited with their families. We have independent living skills for our youth in foster care that are 13 to 18, to help them become independent. A lot of great, wonderful things that we do that are, I like to say, are kind of behind the scenes that many people aren’t aware of, but our tagline is helping our community, one family at a time, and I truly believe that is what we are doing.”
One way to support all those causes is to attend the Holiday Village and Be-Lighted Bike Ride.
Epperly said, “It is so much fun. Our goal is to really create a true holiday village and I think with the support of our community partners and other nonprofits participating, I really feel like we achieved that goal. I love it. I love it. Please come out and check it out. Dress festively, decorate your bikes and just have a great time.”
For more information, click here: https://www.wesleyhouse.org/