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Mr. Goodfellow drive 2025 is officially underway, now in its 101st year. The Mr. Goodfellow fund, established by newspaper publisher W. C. Jarnagin, and supported by donors like you, has provided warm winter clothing for local children who otherwise could not afford it.
The program has been under the management of the Storm Lake Times Pilot for the past three years. Coats, snow pants, boots, gloves and hats are purchased for kids all over Buena Vista County — including Storm Lake, Albert City-Truesdale, Sioux Central, St. Mary’s and Alta.
It’s amazing that a local newspaper has been able to sustain a charitable endeavor for 100 years. Families in the Great Depression, the farm crisis and in the midst of the daily grind of life in a blue collar meat packing town, have gotten a much-needed helping hand around the holidays.
Our helpers in all five schools — whether they be school counselors or in Storm Lake’s case, facilitators of family services — are fabulous at making this program run smoothly. They are resourceful, industrious, trustworthy and caring.
They get the job done. They decide which students most need winter gear. They make the purchases, selecting clothing kids want to wear and what will hold up best. They don’t overspend. They support local businesses. They discretely distribute the purchases to the children, and turn in receipts to the Times Pilot.
They are grateful as they watch their students play in the snow, warm and happy at recess.
“This is truly a blessing every year,” says Kara Nielsen of Alta Elementary School.
Lisa Bethune at Headstart has already put in an order for snowpants, gloves and more for the littlest recipients.
Introducing Maria Arreola
New this year is Maria Arreola, who will be taking the place of Kristine Brandenberger, overseeing Mr. Goodfellow at the Storm Lake Schools from early elementary through high school.
We are eternally grateful to Brandenberger for her work over the past three years.
Arreola is Facilitator of Family & Student Services at Storm Lake Early Elementary School. She was involved with Mr. Goodfellow last year, including shopping trips looking for good deals.
More than just the buying, Arreola cares about the students. “Families that are new to the area don’t know what to expect,” she said. “One of the teachers mentioned a little girl with sandals and only a sweater at recess. A new student from Utah came in shorts. If you grew up here, you know what to expect.”
She continued, “Some people might have thought they could spend $100 on clothes, but with cuts to SNAP they might be spending that on food.”
Arreola has been with the district since 2021. She started as an administrative assistant at Storm Lake Elementary. She doubled as an interpreter. Last year she moved to her position at early elementary while at the same time working on her degree in human services through Buena Vista University.
Moving here from Chicago
Arreola moved from Chicago to The City Beautiful with her family back in 2000. Her father was attracted by a job at Tyson. Arreola was a teenager at the time and remembers her initial reaction: “I thought Storm Lake was so boring.”
She graduated from Storm Lake High School the next year. She would leave, and later return when her father became ill. Now both her parents are gone and Arreola has a family of her own. She and her spouse Edgar Gonzalez have two daughters, Mariah, 14, and Jazlyn, 12. Gonzalez is employed at Rembrandt Enterprises.
Today she calls Storm Lake “the epitome of the American Dream.” She likes her job initiating families into the district and supporting students. “I like it here,” she says. “It’s a good way to reflect on the help I needed as a kid.”
A hard part of her job: “When we meet families and get to know them, they they leave. Sometimes we don’t even get to say goodbye.”
Arreola will continue in the footsteps of Brandenberger. “I loved Kristine’s approach,” she said. Like Brandenberger, she will try not to duplicate the list from last year, so if a student received a coat last year, they will not use a Mr. Goodfellow coat for the child, but will find a different means of donation (pre-loved and washed).
A small stash of winter clothing remains to bolster this year’s collection.
Last year purchases totaling $10,203 were made for Storm Lake students.
A total of $15,204 was spent last year to buy winterwear for 370-plus kids in BV County.
Meanwhile we took in $14,446 from generous donors. Because of a surplus in the fund from previous years, we are able to spend somewhat more than we take in. The object, though, is to keep the fund healthy for the next 100 years.
Help us reach our goal of $15,000. The forecast this winter calls for more snow than normal.
Donating to Mr. Goodfellow is the ultimate feel-good contribution during the holidays that makes a difference locally. You can be part of history!
Here’s how to do it:
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