Chattanooga's Kids on the Block

A Local Holiday Tradition Returns - The 26th Annual Holiday Gift Wrap being held on December 10th through December 24th at Hamilton Place

Chattanooga, TN (11/19/2009)�The rush of the upcoming holiday season is upon the community and with it a seasonal favorite will make its way back to Hamilton Place beginning December 10th at 10am. For the last 25 years, hundreds of residents from the Tennessee Valley have either taken time from their busy holiday schedules to wrap an assortment of gifts right up until Christmas Eve, or they have been anxious gift-givers waiting to see the familiar sight of those volunteers surrounded by reams of wrapping paper, ribbon, and even a puppet or two, so that they can leave the wrapping up to them!

The annual event will feature the winning design of the Chattanooga Times Free Press Gift Wrap Design Contest. Students in grades 1-5 have the opportunity to participate in the contest by creating a custom design for gift wrap. In addition to a variety of gift wrapping paper selections, a limited amount of the winning paper will be available as a wrapping choice for gifts beginning on opening day, December 10 at 10am. All proceeds benefit Chattanooga's Kids on the Block (CKOB), a United Way Agency.

This year's gift wrap is sponsored in part by Brewer Media Group, Belk of Hamilton Place, Hamilton Place, Image Works, episode49, Parent Magazine, Chattanooga Times Free Press and UPS.

Two locations of custom-made booths, providing the opportunity to service patrons more efficiently, will be located on the lower level near JCPenney and the upper level near the Tourist Information Booth. Both booths are open every day between 10am-10pm.

Area businesses and corporations can have employee gifts wrapped by calling (423) 757-5259.

For the past 30 years, CKOB has been providing educational puppetry programs to schools and communities in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. CKOB features life size puppets designed to teach children and adults about social concerns and differences in a non-threatening manner. Our programs are free of charge to schools in the twelve counties we serve thanks in part to funding from the United Way, Tennessee Department of Children's Services, Tennessee Donor Services, Chattanooga Area Brain Injury Association, Big River Grille & Brewing Works, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga, Civitan Club of Chattanooga, Downtown Chattanooga Sertoma Club, and Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, individual donors, and fundraising events such as the 15th Annual Southern Brewers Festival and 26th Annual Chattanooga's Kids on the Block Holiday Gift Wrap.

Please come Volunteer for this year's gift wrap or for more information please contact the Kids on the Block office at (423) 757-5259, or Contact Us here.