The Angel Tree at Walmart, an annual tradition, is still filled with tags ready for someone to pull off the tree. The tags are Christmas wishes and needs of local kids who might not have a special Christmas without the generous donations from the community.
Eddie Toliver, director of the Kewanee Salvation Army, said there’s even more need and more requests this year, making the tree even more laden with tags.
“Usually it gets a little scary this time of year,” he said.
Organizers of the Angel Tree are hoping to have most of the angel gifts returned to them by Monday, Toliver said. It takes time for volunteers to organize the gifts, which are usually distributed to the children around Dec. 20.
Toliver hopes that this weekend residents will go out and “pick an angel off the tree,” and do a little shopping. Even if residents aren’t able to buy all of the gifts on the tag, even purchasing one of the items would help.
After all of the gifts are brought in and collected, Toliver said organizers and volunteers do a great job at filling in for the “forgotten angels” or those tags left hanging on the tree.
“The volunteers have been great,” said Toliver. “I can’t say enough about them.”
Angel tree gifts should be returned to the Kewanee Salvation Army, Farmer’s Insurance or the HRD Tack Shop no later than early next week.
