Looking for a good deed to do this holiday season? The Angel Tree Project is a great opportunity to make the holidays for an “angel” a happier time of year. With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas just around the corner, now is the perfect time to give back to those who are less fortunate in our community and make a positive difference in their life.
Plymouth State University Volunteers will be hosting their eigth annual Angel Tree Project from November 27 to December 4 in the HUB’s Fire Place Lounge from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
“The Angel Tree Project is where we get the PSU community involved in buying Christmas gifts for children from less fortune families,” said Megan Dessert, co-coordinator of The Angel Tree Project, “The names of the children we get are from (14) agencies from Plymouth and the surrounding areas. Each child is represented by an angel, which each contain information about the child’s age, gender, and gift wishes.”
The angels are placed on Christmas trees that rest on table tops sponsored by PSU Volunteers for students, faculty and staff to select an angel they want to support. The children selected to participate in the Angel Tree Project are chosen by the agencies with the understanding that they are in need of gifts for the holiday. Next to the Christmas trees is a thank you card made by some of the children from last year, along with letters of thanks sent by the agencies to personally show the positive impact the project has on the community. A person can choose as many angels as he or she wishes to purchase gifts for.
“The donation is entirely up to the individual. Some people buy just one item from the child’s wish list. Others buy all that the child asks for. Many people also buy gifts for several children, not just one,” Dessert said.
The purchased gifts are to be returned December 4 – December 13 in HUB room 123, any time from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. It is important to remember to attach the angel’s name to the gift to make sure the correct child receives the presents. After the gifts are collected, Dessert said that PSU Volunteers makes contact with the agencies and arranges a time for them to come by and pick up the gifts.
Rhiannon Trajlinek, a junior, will select her first angel this year. “I want to be a part of it because I think that the holidays is a time when people are so focused on getting things, that it is important to step back and think about what you can give to those who are less fortunate,” she said.
Caitlin MacInnis, a PSU senior recalled her experience with the project in the past. “By doing the Angel Tree Project, it put a smile on people’s faces knowing they made a child’s Christmas wish come true,” she said.
The holiday season is not only about receiving gifts, it is also about giving back. “Anyone who is the least bit interested in helping out I urge to stop by the table and ask how they can help out,” Dessert said, “I personally support this charity because I believe that every child deserves a wonderful holiday season, and I understand that unfortunately there are some circumstances out there that make it difficult for the family to provide during these times.”
Besure to stop by the PSU Volunteers table to select an angel from the Angel Tree Project and help out by making a child’s Christmas unforgettable.