Wisconsin Rapids Area - Best Christmas Ever

03/31/2026

Sharing for our friends with the Blessing from Wisconsin Rapids to Plover BCE team.

They’re excited to see you this upcoming weekend - raffles, baked goods and crafts!

02/04/2026

🧠 Dying for a night out? Join us for the Zombie Cannibal Asylum! 🧟‍♂️

Looking for a "killer" way to give back? Our friends at 17SIXTEEN are hosting a Zombie Cannibal Asylum Murder Mystery Dinner on Tuesday, February 10th!

It’s going to be a night of mystery, thrills, and great food—all while supporting Best Christmas Ever. Every ticket sold helps us bring the magic of Christmas to families fallen on hard times through no fault of their own.

📅 When: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
📍 Where: 17Sixteen

Grab your friends and see if you can solve the mystery before... well, before someone gets eaten. See you there! 🩸🍹

https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/17sixteen/zombie-cannibal-asylum-murder-mystery-dinner

02/02/2026

The Best Christmas Ever family lost a very special member.

Heather Smith, one of our 2025 BCE recipients, has passed away. Heather reminded us all why we do what we do—she embodied resilience and gratitude even in the toughest times. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her son, Jeremy and friends as they navigate this difficult loss. Her spirit will always be a part of our BCE story. ✨

12/29/2025

We've shared the family stories, and we pulled off FIVE spectacular surprise gift drops - now we must say THANK YOU!

Thank you to this incredible community - we did it! We raised over $40,000!! Thank you to everyone and every business that contributed monetary or gifts - I'm still absolutely blown away with the generosity of our neighbors!

Thank you to the top-notch emergency services we have - we had police and fire departments show up, es**rt us to the front doors of each home and support each one of our BCE families! We truly are surrounded and protected by the very best! Thank you Wood County Sheriff, Vesper Volunteer Fire Department, Port Edwards FireDepartment, Port Edwards Police Department, Wisconsin Rapids Police Dept., and Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department ❤️💙

Thank you to Darci and Amy over at CC Graphics LLC - way to make a Christmas miracle happen with our short notice! Your banner was beautiful and definitely showcased our generous Santa Sponsor Businesses!

Thank you to our Santa Sponsors - these businesses go above and beyond all year long to support this community and we are honored to have them on our side!

Thank you to our spectacular nominators - your nominations lead us to blessing these deserving families and your dedication and help to plan the perfect surprise was incredible!

Thank you to our Secret Santa that really made a difference - most will never know who you are, but please know - I love your huge heart!

Thank you to our BCE committee and family leaders - you guys really made some miracles happen!

And finally, THANK YOU to Kayla with Pine & Olive Photography LLC -she donated her time and her talents again this year to capture each and every gift drop and then offers her images to each family at no cost.

We did it, guys! Thank you. It doesn't seem like enough, but please know we appreciate every single person and business that helps make this happen. These families truly deserved the Best Christmas Ever!

As we learn and grow, I'm excited to see what we can accomplish next year! ~Amanda

12/29/2025

💜 The Ramthun Family 💜

On December 13, 2024, we lost Kasey Ramthun—a vibrant, kind-hearted 17-year-old—to a tragic car accident.

Kasey was just months away from graduation, standing on the threshold of her adult life. But more than that, Kasey was the heartbeat of her family and the "Community Elf" of her town.

Christmas wasn’t just a holiday for Kasey; it was her mission. Every year, she carefully decorated the family tree, wrapped every single gift for her younger brother, Logan, ensured her parents had presents to open so they felt the same magic as everyone else, and delivered gifts to local families and the elderly, making sure no one felt forgotten.

December marked one year since we lost Kasey. The grief is still raw and heavy. Recently, Logan celebrated his 13th birthday—his first without his big sister—and he didn't even want to celebrate because, without Kasey, nothing feels the same.

After the accident, people wondered how they could celebrate Kasey's favorite holiday without her. The answer is simple: We celebrate the way she would. By honoring this family - we aren't just giving them a gift; we are allowing Kasey to continue her tradition of being the holiday elf. It is a way to bring a glimmer of light back into a home that has endured so much darkness, and to remind them that Kasey’s spirit of generosity lives on in all of us.

Please help us honor Kasey’s memory and give this deserving family a reason to feel the warmth of the season again. 🕊️❤️

12/28/2025

💛 The Hardina Family 💛

We are so moved to share the story of the Hardina family. This year, Sarah and Jared’s Christmas wish isn’t found in a store—it’s finally having their baby boy, Beckham, home. 🏠❤️

Beckham is a true warrior. Born 10 weeks early with Hydrops Fetalis and later diagnosed with a rare condition called GACI, he spent his first 8 months fighting for his life at American Family Children’s Hospital.

Through every surgery, every ventilator breath, and every scary "rollercoaster" moment, his big sisters Vivian and Olive have been the sweetest, bravest anchors for this family. They have welcomed their brother home with open arms and so much love.

After a year of hospital stays and separated nights, the Hardinas are finally a family of five under one roof.

We want to celebrate Sarah, Jared, Vivian, Olive, and Beckham with the Best Christmas Ever to honor the incredible resilience they’ve shown.

We were honored to bless this beautiful family with the love they deserve this season! 🌟

12/28/2025

🦦 The Smith Family 🦦

For the past four years, Heather has faced adversity that would break most. From a double mastectomy to Stage IV metastatic cancer, she has fought every step of the way with humor, grace, and her signature phrase: "I'm not dead yet!"

Even while navigating hospital stays and planning for the future, Heather’s heart remains focused on others—crafting for her nurses, helping fellow teachers, and being the best mom possible to her son, Jeremy.

This year, the community came together to give Heather and Jeremy the Best Christmas Ever.

With her goal of seeing Jeremy graduate this June, this holiday wasn’t just about gifts; it was about celebrating a life lived selflessly and creating a joyful memory of pure happiness. 🎄✨

Heather has spent her life giving. This year, it was our turn to give back to her. 🦦❤️

12/27/2025

💛 The Wenzel Family 💛

After celebrating her first birthday, sweet Sophia was diagnosed with AML Leukemia. Her journey involved months of intensive chemotherapy and 24-day hospital stays in Madison. This has forced parents Erik and Theresa to split their time between the hospital and their 4 other children at home, creating a severe financial hardship. As they faced a holiday season spent apart and rising medical and travel costs, they urgently needed the support of their community to stay afloat and focus on Sophia’s recovery.

With seven nominations from members of this community, we just knew we needed to help!

We were able to surprise this sweet family the week before Christmas- just days after Sophia was able to come home- with some pretty cool gifts for the kids and a little financial relief for the entire family.

Please join in wishing a very happy 2026 to the Wenzel Family - a few prayers and well wishes as they head back to Madison on Monday. 🥰

12/22/2025

💛The Staven Family💚

On May 5th, 2025, Aly and Tyler Staven celebrated one of the happiest days of their lives as they said "I Do." But just months into their first year of marriage, tragedy struck.

On August 20th, at only 36 years old, Aly suffered a major hemorrhagic stroke. After an emergency flight to a specialized stroke center and time in the Neuro ICU, Aly began the fight of her life. While she has made incredible strides—regaining the ability to walk short distances and some use of her left arm—the road ahead is long.

Aly returned home in September, but she requires 24/7 care and cannot return to work. Between medical bills and caring for their two young girls, the financial weight was mounting.

As a dispatcher for Wood County, Tyler is the guy who is always the first to lend a hand but the last to ask for one. He serves our community every day, and it was an honor to take our turn to serve him and his family! We were able to bless this family with the Best Christmas Ever so Aly can focus entirely on healing and this beautiful family can have the Christmas they deserve.

12/20/2025

What a great start to the day! We joined another local BCE team to surprise a deserving family - all the happy tears and hugs reminded us all the true meaning of Christmas!

We have our next family gift drop this evening - meet us at the Crow Bar at 6 to join us! Then we’re headed over to celebrate the awesome day at Ryders Roadhouse and Grill for Still Reckless at Ryder's Roadhouse for Wis. Rapids Area - Best Christmas Ever!

12/20/2025

‼️Important Info ‼️

Our gift drop original scheduled for this morning is now happening tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 o’clock!

If you were planning on joining us for the Vesper area gift drop, please make sure you join us tomorrow - same meeting area!

Our gift drop for this evening is still on! Meet us at The Crow Bar at 6 tonight!