"I gave a family a ride home one day that had come to pick up their packages, and, as we drove, I looked in the rearview mirror, and saw the 7 year old girl hugging and loving a doll she pulled out of the box. To me, that picture will always tell me why we do the program, because some little girl, somewhere, is going to want a doll, and that will be her cherished possession. And that's what its really about". This is the memory that Richard Green, the Commanding Officer of the Ogden area Salvation Army, has when he organizes the Angel Tree. Helping families receive gifts that they may not usually have the opportunity to have.The Angel Tree is a program set up to assist needy families with gifts. Weber State University has volunteered to help by receiving 200 names of children in the community to help out this Christmas season. WSU receives the names from the Salvation Army. Parents go to the Salvation Army, and sign up to receive assistance for the holidays. Ariana Escalante, the WSU Volunteer Involvement Program Director, explains the Angel Tree program."The Angel Tree is an opportunity that students and faculty at Weber State can contribute to needy families in our community that cannot afford gifts for their family. We get shoe sizes, clothing sizes, and a Christmas wish item, and a faculty member or student can adopt that family, and get those items on the list and bring them back and we will donate them" The donated gifts will be picked up by the Salvation Army, and taken back to their warehouse. The gifts will be sorted into boxes, and the parents will come and pick up the gifts. Green does ask one thing from those who buy gifts. "We ask that they do not wrap the gifts, because we want the parents to have the opportunity to wrap the gifts for their children". There are 1500 families that signed up through the Salvation Army to receive assistance this year. In those families, there are 3700 children who are aged 16 or younger. 200 children's names were on the Tree in the Union Building at WSU. Students have been taking the opportunity to help assist the children. Bliss Stinson, a WSU student, was one of the students who were picking a child to help. "I've seen the Angel Tree around before, but I have never actually participated in it," Stinson said. "I am just looking for someone I connect with. I want to get them the things that will bring smiles to their faces." When Stinson was asked why she decided to participate this year, she said, "I just wanted to be able to make a difference for someone else's Christmas, and I wanted to do my part in giving to someone else". There are in between 150-200 people who volunteer at the Salvation Army to make the program work, but Green says there are more people who make it happen. "We have our help, but without the 3000 plus people who buy the gifts the program would not work," Green said. The tree has the names of the children on a card. The card contains the name, age, gender, and what the child needs. Those wanting to help can choose a child from the tree, and buy the gift that the child has requested. The gifts need to be taken to the Union Building room 327 by no later than December 15. Students and faculty members who are looking for ways to serve others can go to the Community Involvement Center in the Union Building, and receive information on how to get involved.
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