As the 2025 Christmas season concluded, GP Anderson—creator of the Christmas in Wadena animated light show—delivered this year’s donations to Project Share, the local food shelf in Wadena. Anderson met with Project Share Director Mary Ann Hagen, where together they unloaded and weighed 343 pounds of donated food. He also presented a check for $1,419.95, representing monetary donations collected during the 2025 season.

Over the past 18 years, Christmas in Wadena has raised more than 6,750 pounds of food and $30,600.94 in cash donations, with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to Project Share to support local families in need.

When asked why he continues the effort each year, Anderson shared his motivation:

“To truly relieve hunger in our community, we must transform how we think about hunger relief. Providing food today is essential—but the real goal is helping ensure people don’t need that help tomorrow. Sustainable systems, combined with access to information and resources, are key to breaking the cycle of hunger,” he said.

Christmas in Wadena is a free, animated light show set to music—entirely created, produced, edited, mixed, built, and maintained by local artist GP Anderson. Thousands of visitors attend each holiday season, with coverage from local and regional newspapers, television, radio, and social media, often calling it a “must-see holiday event.” 

The show has been viewed worldwide, reaching audiences on all seven continents, and has become a cherished holiday tradition for the Wadena community.