KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bill Dworzan is literally the coolest man at any gathering. As the “KC Ice Artist,” he takes giant blocks of ice and sculpts them into animals, Christmas trees, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Dworzan runs Krystal Creations with his wife out of a garage next to their Liberty, Missouri, home.
“It started off as a little hobby and then it turned full-fledged business," he said.
Saturday, Dworzan will step out of the garage and demonstrate his sculpting prowess at the Holidays in Crestwood fundraiser benefiting Child Protection Center (CPC).
“The center told me some stories that were just unbelievable,” Dworzan said. “As busy as we are during the holidays, we gotta make time for this.”
CPC facilitates recorded interviews with children who have been the victim of a crime or witnessed a crime. Prosecutors use the tapes to try defendants.
Using the videotapes means the children don’t have to repeat their story over and over throughout the court process. The non-profit also provides therapy for the children’s family after an event.
“To be able to wrap our arms around a child and a family, making sure everyone in that household is getting what they need in order to heal from the trauma this child has experienced, makes the whole family healthier, makes them able to move forward better, and it often strengthens their relationships,” said president and CEO of CPC Lisa Mizell.
She said the agency fielded a near-record number of calls in July and August this year, but saw dips in donations as the COVID-19 pandemic forced CPC to cancel many big, event-style fundraisers.
During the Holidays at Crestwood event, retailers in the shopping district at 55th Street and Brookside Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, will donate 10 percent from the sale of any item in-store or online to CPC.
Dworzan will put on his demonstration Saturday at 1 p.m. He hopes his unusual skill set attracts shoppers whose purchases turn into donations making a difference for children in the city.
Holidays in Crestwood begins Thursday, Dec 3, 2020. Shops are open from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Each day features a unique attraction. Santa will be present all three days.
This year’s event welcomes the return of “Gingerbread Way.” Local pastry chefs created masterful gingerbread houses. They are displayed in eight of the shops.
On Friday, visitors can bid on purchasing the homes during a silent auction. Money from the sale of each home goes directly to CPC.
This weekend, retailers are offering curbside pickup for customers who order online and want to avoid in-store shopping during the pandemic.
You can always make a donation to CPC on its website.
