Easter Seals Disability Services

The University of Texas Wranglers will Hold Up the City of Austin with Hundreds of Volunteers

All proceeds from the Annual Fundraiser will Benefit
Easter Seals Central Texas

AUSTIN, TX - October 1, 2009 - The University of Texas Wranglers are proud to present the 12^th Annual City Wide Hold Up this year on Saturday, November 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event draws hundreds of volunteers and sends them to street corners throughout Austin to “hold up” passing motorists for change.  All funds collected are donated to Easter Seals Central Texas, a locally funded and locally governed non-profit providing services to support the health and vitality of families and children living with disabilities in our communities.

Over the past eleven years, with the collective help of over 6200 volunteers, mostly students, City Wide Hold Up has raised over $330,000 for Easter Seals in only fifty hours. This year the UT Wranglers hope to raise $40,000 in a single day.   

“The Texas Wranglers are an invaluable partner organization,” said Easter Seals Central Texas President and CEO Kevin T. Coleman. “We are extremely grateful for their incredible efforts in organizing this annual Austin event.  Their contributions make a huge impact in our community, enabling the work we do for children with disabilities, such as Autism.”

City Wide Hold Up was the idea of Maurence D. Anderson, a 1996 Wrangler, who passed away before his plan come to fruition. Because of the dedication of his friends and family, the event has grown exponentially in the past decade. The original fundraising goal of $10,000 in the first year has increased to four times that much. 

"It is almost impossible to describe how this makes me feel," said Barbara Anderson, speaking with pride about the tradition that has been carried on in her son Maurence's honor.  "To see the youth of our community in roles like this helping so many children and adults - it makes you glad to be an American, glad to be part of Easter Seals and glad to have such an organization available to so many people."

Click play to watch coverage of the 2008 City Wide Hold Up:

For more information about City Wide Hold Up, please visit http://www.citywideholdup.com/.