The 36th season for WMOA Radio’s Christmas Zoo will begin today in the window of The Workingman’s Store on Putnam Street in downtown Marietta.

The 2025 Christmas Zoo continues its longtime stuffed animal theme along with a QR Code in the window to collect donations for area agencies and needy children during the holiday season.

“Our sponsors and listeners are very generous and loyal to this mission, last year was remarkable and of course set the bar even higher,” said Johnny Wharff, WMOA station owner. “The core mission continues to be collecting stuffed animals. We’d really rather have the smaller Teddy Bear type than the big ones, because it allows us to share equally amongst our recipients. Zide’s kicked in with an early donation to seed our first batch to be delivered early, and four other businesses donated cash to jump start our WMOA Christmas Zoo fund. Needless to say, we’re off and rolling. We’ve done this for so long, it’s humbling to look back at what this simple promotion has accomplished and exhilarating to see what’s coming around this year.”

WMOA has established a WMOA Christmas Zoo Fund at The Marietta Community Foundation, with several ways to donate. Since 1990, the WMOA Christmas Zoo has collected and distributed more than 30,000 stuffed animals to children in the area. Thanks to Magnum Magnetics, Memorial Health System, Riverview Credit Union and Metaltech Steel the fund serves a different role than the stuffed animals, but complements the effort with buying and distributing pies as part of the Christmas Day feast, as well as supporting the area agencies and churches with Secret Santa efforts.

“As we begin our 36th year of this successful promotion, we ask that this great community continue to make a difference by dropping off new stuffed animals, sending cash donations in any amount to our Christmas Zoo, or checks to The Marietta Community Foundation for the WMOA Christmas Zoo Fund. All money will go back right back to the community on behalf of WMOA listeners,” Wharff said. “WMOA has partnered with several local businesses and area agencies and this year we will do some giving tree shopping, and we will financially support partner agencies who serve the needs of children. The objective is to make sure that as many young people are cared for as possible.”

Any organization wishing to be on the distribution list should contact WMOA Radio Station Manager Brenda Padgitt at 740-373-1490 by Dec. 5.

Over the years there have been various locations for the Christmas Zoo. Sugden Book Store on Front Street was where it all started in 1990. It moved to the JCPenny store, then First Settlement Restaurant but has found its home at the Workingman’s Store for 18 years.

WMOA will continue to broadcast “live” from The Workingman’s Store Putnam Street window weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and afternoons 2-5 p.m. as well as Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Any amount can be donated by dropping in a secure mailbox at 925 Lancaster St. or using the QR Code on the WMOA/WJAW Facebook page or can be sent to the Marietta Community Foundation, P.O. Box 77, Marietta, C/O the WMOA Christmas Zoo Fund.

“We specify $5 because we think most folks can afford that, and the ones that can’t ultimately will benefit,” said Wharff.