Branson Red Bucket Campaign Nets Over $40,000 to Build Wheelchairs for Kids

An effort to collect money to help young people in the community has a second successful campaign.

The full press release below is from Branson Cares:

Branson’s shows and theaters have joined forces for the second year in a row to help build wheelchairs for children. As part of the ongoing work of a city-wide program called BRANSON CARES, they collected donations from visiting tourists and locals during their 2nd annual RED BUCKET WEEK which ran from November 24th, 2023 through Dec 5th, 2023. And the results are in for this incredibly important annual fundraising effort.

Red Bucket Week is the annual event during which Entertainers from many Branson shows hold these now iconic red buckets in their lobbies at intermission and following shows to collect important funding for this program. 100% of funds collected build highly specialized pediatric wheelchairs for children with severe disabilities through a partnership with Hope Haven International of Rock Valley, Iowa. Hope Haven has been serving the special needs community since 1964. Through this partnership with businesses in the City of Branson, Hope Haven provides all necessary overhead expenses, allowing every cent collected from Branson to go directly to building these life changing wheelchairs called, “Kids’ Chairs.”

In consultation with physical therapists and design engineers, Hope Haven has designed their “Kids’ Chairs” to provide years and years of mobility. Completely assembled and adjustable using one single tool which was also specially designed for ease of use by the families of these children. As they age or as their disabilities change their physical forms, the chairs can be adjusted to fit their little bodies providing the specific types of support needed by each individual. Kids chairs are built using many parts which are donated by American wheelchair manufacturing companies. Some of the labor is provided by volunteers in a factory located in Rock Valley, Iowa. Other labor is also provided through an ingenious partnership with the South Dakota State Prison in Sioux Falls, SD where inmates do the work.

Branson Cares is a city-wide fundraising effort in the city of Branson which is being led by our shows and theaters. In the first year of fundraising, Branson businesses and visitors built 102 wheelchairs that have been part of mission trips to Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Vietnam, Costa Rica and the Philippines. Hundreds of children, and their families’ lives, have already been blessed by the work being done by our shows and theaters. And the work continues. So many children are born every year in need of the vital mobility that provides fundamental access to health care, education, work, church and community. And Branson businesses are stepping up to help these innocent children through Branson Cares. Currently, Branson Cares is supported by 12 Branson theaters and stages; 26 hotels; multiple restaurants, retailers and attractions, proving to the world that Branson Missouri is a city that cares.

Branson Cares Ambassador, and long time Branson Entertainer, Bob Nichols reported, “During red bucket Week and other fundraising efforts in 2023, donations were collected by the following Branson shows, theaters, stages and entertainers: Branson Craft Mall, Pickin’ Porch Entertainment, Branson Famous Theater, Branson’s Famous Baldknobber Show, Branson Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, Branson Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Dick Clarks American Bandstand Theater, Legends in Concert, The Dutton Family Theater, The Duttons, Yakov Smirnoff, Freedom Encounter, Freedom Journey Show, Grand Country Music Hall, Grand Jubilee, Comedy Jamboree, Branson Country USA Television Show, The Hughes Brothers Theater, Hughes Christmas Show, Re-Vibe, Jackie B. Goode’s Uptown Cafe and Dinner Theater, Live Entertainers for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, King’s Castle Theatre, Branson Christmas Wonderland, Anthems of Rock, New Jersey Nights, Irish Tenors and Celtic Ladies, Mansion Theater for the Performing Arts, Mickey Gilley/Grand Shanghai Theater. Thanks to their community spirit and selfless work to bless these children and their families, Red Bucket Week 2023 raised $40,370.38“ A more than 150% increase from last year’s inaugural event!

“Our specialized pediatric wheelchairs would retail for $5,000.00 to $7,000.00 each, but thanks to the relationships created by Hope Haven,” Nichols said, “we are able to build them for only $275.00 each. This means that this year’s Red Bucket Week funding drive will result in the construction of 147 Kid’s Chairs.”

Hope Haven volunteer, Les Feldman said he brought the idea of Branson Cares to Nichols in late 2021 and the two agreed immediately that this work should be done in Branson. Mr Feldman said, “The very first time Bob and I met, he accepted the challenge of helping these kids immediately. Bob told me that the city of Branson has always had a great big heart. The businesses and residents of this community have proven that to be true over and over in the past two years.” Feldman added, “The work continues to get more and more shows and theaters to join us in this worthy work. No one says, ‘no,’ but it does take persistent effort to get the information in front of them so they can make the decision to help.”

Les Feldman has been in publishing for most of his life, first as a teen newspaper carrier in his hometown of Miami Beach, then in escalating apprenticeship and management roles at The Miami Herald; while still a student at the University of Miami. At 21, he fed his passion for rock ‘n’ roll as founding publisher of a national rock music magazine, then invested in his love of South Florida as publisher of numerous glossy city magazines. Perhaps you’ve enjoyed browsing his most recognizable publishing brand while waiting for the curtain to rise at a Broadway play, symphony, opera or ballet throughout America. He was the publisher of PLAYBILL®, the National Theater Magazine, for 32 years.

Feldman added that several Branson entertainers have already participated in one of our 2023 mission trips to distribute Branson Cares’ kids’ wheelchairs. And more trips are planned for the coming year. We have invited even more Branson entertainers to join us on mission trips during the coming off-season. The hands-on experience of placing children in these customizable chairs is a life changing event. He said, “Going on mission to give away these chairs to children and their families is a life changing event. You can see it on their faces and in the children’s laughter and tears, and the deeply grateful expressions on their parents faces as well.”

Nichols and Feldman invite the entire Branson Community to join our shows, theaters, lodging, retailers, restaurants and attractions to join us in the urgent work of helping Branson Cares by calling or texting to 417-593-3418; or by emailing bransoncaresemail@gmail.com. More information can be found and donations can be made by going to bransoncares.com which is a sub-page of hopehaven.org of on the Facebook page which is also called, bransoncares.com.

In the Spring, the duo will produce the second annual “Branson Cares Show.” This live show includes performances by the many entertainers, shows and theaters that support this important work. This past April, more than 60 Branson entertainers and musicians took the stage for a 2 ½ hour entertainment extravaganza that kicked off the 2023 giving season culminating with Red Bucket Week. This community continues to show the world that Branson, Missouri is a #CityThatCares !