For several hundred Greenwood-area children, the Angel Tree program helps ensure that each will wake up on Christmas morning to presents under the tree.
The Salvation Army program provides Christmas gifts to children in need through donations from community members, local businesses, churches, clubs and other organizations.
This week, members of Altrusa International of Greenwood began decorating the club’s annual Angel Tree at CB&S Bank with children to be “adopted.”
“It is the time to give and think of others and not just of ourselves,” said Lynda Galbraith, chairwoman of Altrusa’s Angel Tree project. “It makes you feel good. I think it’s a great feeling to be able to be able to help others.”
Those who would like to participate may take an Angel — or multiple Angels — and purchase presents for the child. A minimum of $50 worth of gifts is recommended, but participants may spend as much as they like.
Each Angel on the tree tells a little about the boy or girl it represents, including the child’s age and clothing and shoe sizes and a few of his or her Christmas wishes. After participants have shopped for their Angels, gifts should be returned to CB&S Bank, located at 820 W. Park Ave. The presents should be unwrapped and gathered together in a bag or a box with the Angel attached.
“I know, remembering my own children growing up, the joy of unwrapping a present and, if it was something that they really, really wanted, the squeals of delight,” said Galbraith. “To think that some child doesn’t have that — we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The longtime Greenwood Christmastime charity program was started by the Junior Auxiliary, in partnership with the Salvation Army, and was passed to Altrusa International of Greenwood about 20 years ago.
Altrusa usually takes about 200 Angels each year to stock its tree. Of those Angels, each member of the club takes at least one. For the Angels who are not adopted, the club spends allotted funds to purchase gifts for them. If all of the Angels are adopted, the club will take additional Angels to shop for.
The Salvation Army extensively screens each recipient before providing the Angels to Altrusa. Many of the circumstances include single-parent homes, mothers having a hard time providing for their children and parents who have lost jobs, have to care for sick relatives or have experienced a death in the family.
“All people need to do is think back to when they were children and think about the wonderful Christmases they had,” said Pat Gulledge, a member of Altrusa’s Angel Tree committee. “Then, think about children who wouldn’t have that because of their situation. Maybe their parents lost a job.”
In the past few years, the program has expanded, and two other Angel Trees have also popped up in Greenwood. Trees are also at Greenwood Market Place and Delta Bistropub through partnerships with the businesses and the Salvation Army.
Gifts will be distributed Dec. 18. Angel Tree presents must be returned to the location the Angels were taken from by Dec. 15.
For more information about the Angel Tree program, call the Salvation Army at 455-9679.
• Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
