Every year the CARE (Children at Risk in Education) Angel Tree project collects gifts to fulfill the Christmas wishes of students in the Fayette County Public School System whose families are struggling to make ends meet.
Above, warehouse supervisor Ron Ross (center) and two of his staffers help load Angel Tree gifts on to trucks that will deliver them to schools for distribution to parents in time for Christmas. Photo/Fayette County School System.
This year the project collected gifts for over 300 students whose holiday wishes had been submitted to the project by their school counselor.
All of the donations are collected at the central office and then distributed to the schools the last week before the semester break. The school system’s warehouse personnel pitch in to deliver the gifts to schools so that they can be handed off to parents in time to place under the Christmas tree.
Each year starting in October, school counselors recommend students they know whose working families are in need of support. The angel wishes are written on a card along with the age of the child and school.
Community members and employees of the school system are invited to adopt one of the angels to help fulfill their needs, many of which are nontraditional such as bedding, hearing aid batteries, eyeglasses, basic toiletries, underwear, after-school program scholarships, and school extracurricular fees.
“Of course, donors want their angels to have some fun things, too, so people will buy extra items such as toys and games to make Christmas Day merrier for the recipients,” said Karen Spangler, coordinator of the CARE Angel Tree project.
Spangler said she appreciates everyone who helped to make this year’s Angel Tree project a success, and notes that it takes a number of people working in different roles to make it all possible.
“From the school counselors who help us identify families in need, and those who adopt an angel to fulfill that child’s wishes, to our staff and community volunteers who help wrap, organize and deliver the gifts, I want to extend my sincere appreciation for all of the work and care that was put in to helping make the holidays special for our school community,” Spangler said.
