From playing songs in local bars to playing the Grinch at children’s homes, Anthony Rosales, owner of Wowie’s Gym, has transformed his promise over a decade into a profound event that provides joy to the families and children of Christian Child Care, Hogan Hozhoni, and Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home each Christmas.
The desire to give back to children sparked in Rosales when he learned he would become a father. Leaving the bar scene, Rosales became the owner of Wowie’s Event Center, where he invested in inflatable bouncy houses which provided him with the perfect opportunity to give back to the community, especially to children
“I told myself if I ever got those types of things, I would do things for the orphanages,” Rosales said. “I grew up on the north side my entire life and the orphanage is only a block away from my house. So, those kids are always part of our community and they still are.”
This year, Rosales and sponsors raised $2,000 and collected approximately 600 toys that were donated to the 234 children from within the local community, the children’s home, and countless children from local organizations who reach out during the Christmas season. These children range in age from two months to 18 years old. Rosales will also provide gifts for 20 students in Fort Wingate who are unable to go home over the holiday break.
“Everybody thinks I’m part of Toys for Tots, but I’m not,” he said. “It’s just local. There’s always different organizations every year that message me for different things.”
During his visits to the children’s homes, Rosales dresses up as the Grinch and provides gifts to the children. The children enjoy activities, bouncy houses, and El Chapo, the mechanical bull, all provided from his own business.
The children cherish Rosales’ visits, which provide a vital service the homes cannot offer on their own.
“I’m thankful that there’s people like him that are willing to give like that to put themselves out there and help our effort and help the community,” Loren Schmidt, Executive Director of Christian Child Home, said.
What started as an in-house toy drive supported by toy donations from his gym members has grown into a community charity program. Local business owners and community members who grew up together sponsor Rosales, transforming the toy drive into a true community and family affair.”
“It’s like a big community thing,” Rosales said. “I know all these people from doing other events. And they just all come together, and everybody just supports the cause.”
The local toy drive’s growth is also credited to Esther Sanchez, a generous community member who started a separate toy drive called Jesse’s Angels. This partnership enabled Rosales and Sanchez to assist more homes including the Manuelito Navajo Children’s Home, which mainly houses teenagers. Traditional toy donations seldom reach this age group; therefore, the community-driven sponsorship provides the cash and gift cards needed to purchase items from their wish lists.
In addition to heartfelt gratitude for Rosales’ Christmas contributions, Stacy Randolph, Manuelito Children’s Home’s business manager, is also grateful for the awareness he provides, hoping to help remove the stigma surrounding children’s homes.
“He gets another fraction of people and gives awareness of who we are,” she said. “Locally, that really helps because a lot of people don’t really know who we are. It’s just a group home where we raise kids with a Christian upbringing and we take care of everything as if they were our own.”
Rosales said that toy donations slowed since the pandemic lessened, leaving him to find creative ways to fund the toy drive. He recently hosted a dance at his event center adding 75 extra gifts. He also showcases his photography skills by charging for holiday photos outside the Gallup Courthouse.
His commitment demonstrates a year-round holiday spirit as he also assists local barber Frankie T. with the annual Fades for Grades, a back-to-school event providing free haircuts and hair styling. He also hosts an annual trunk or treat during Halloween.
“We do everything! Whatever we can do to help the community, we go for,” Rosales said.
He recalled how he was moved by the gratitude and trust of a two-year old child at last year’s event.
“All of a sudden, here comes this little kid,” he said. “He just came up and gave us all a hug and then he just took off running and started playing again. Just out of his little heart. That made me tear up.”
For Rosales, the act of giving is a simply natural part of the holiday season.
“Just seeing them happy makes me happy,” he said. “At our business, we do well, and I don’t mind giving back to the kids. That’s the main thing, as long as the kids are happy, especially for the kids that need it.”
