The Arc of Boone, Winnebago and Ogle Counties sold 350 Chocolate Crave cases this week at its annual Chocoholic Frolic fundraiser. (Photo by Chelsea Meyer/Rock River Current)
By Chelsea Meyer
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Arc of Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties has hosted its annual Chocoholic Frolic for 15 years. This year exceeded expectations.

At the beginning of January, the Chocolate Crave cases for the drive-thru event went on sale. By Jan. 26, they were sold out.

As she stood outside in the frigid, snowy Midwest weather loading crave cases into cars, Amy Newell, executive director of The Arc of Winnebago, Boone, and Ogle Counties, said that last year they sold 250 boxes. This year the total was 350.

In 2021 and 2022 they decided to host a drive-thru event, but in years past had been in-person. For some, the Chocoholic Frolic is a reason to indulge in everything chocolate, but for others it means much more than that.

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The Arc of Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties works with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Helping these individuals stay active and involved in the community while also giving them the opportunity to live life by their choice.

“We want to be able to see our friends, and go to church, and see movies, and eat out and all of those things and so it’s really our mission to make sure that we’re communicating with individuals in our community that have those diagnoses, and find out what they need,” Newell said in an interview with the B103 Morning Routine.

The Arc has art programs, recreation nights, book clubs, support systems, and also guardianship assistance.

“We love the support from the community for no matter what we do, however one of the pieces of the in-person event that is really important to us with the silent auction, all of the art pieces that are created by our artists,” Newell said.

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“At the live event, you get to meet those artists. And so you really get to see where those donations go. You get to put that face to the name of who’s creating the pieces that you’re buying and these are amazing works of art… and you know this is one of the live pieces that we really miss for those who support us to see where they are making that positive impact in the community.”

This year’s Chocoholic Frolic featured more than 20 different vendors including Sugar Britches, Wonderland Sweets and SugarJones.

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