Athletes from ULM and Louisiana Tech help kids selected for the Big Whit Toy Shopping Spree at Toys R' Us in Monroe on Thursday, December 1, 2016. The annual event is organized by the Big Whit Foundation, which was founded by Andrew Whitworth, who is a West Monroe High School graduate. The United Way, The Wellspring and local churches find kids who would benefit from the shopping spree. Often, those are children whose families have suffered a loss or dealt with illness or disaster. The Foundation then provides each family with a total of $500 to shop. Each kid gets to spend $50 shopping for themselves during the spree, then the parents can use what is leftover for Christmas shopping.
