Angel Tree Program underway for 2021 holidays
Through the Perkins County Ministerial Association, the Angel Tree is once again providing assistance this year with Christmas gifts for families of Perkins County.
Request forms have been distributed to all children in Perkins County, from preschool through eighth grade, and some forms were given to the Perkins County High School guidance counselor as well.
Parents who wish to participate fill out one form for each child. Names of all involved remain anonymous. The information on these request forms provides insight into each child’s likes and wishes for Christmas.
Forms are returned to the Angel Tree Committee by Nov. 8 so that committee members can create two gift tags per child—one for clothing and one for a fun/activity.
Names will not be on the tags, just gender and ages, along with ideas for gifts. A suggested spending amount for each gift bag is $40.
Gift tags are then distributed to participating churches in Perkins County. They will be displayed for selection starting Sunday, Nov. 21, usually hung as ornaments on a tree somewhere in the church.
This early date allows people plenty of time to get a gift purchased, or to take advantage of any Black Friday shopping specials.
Anyone wishing to participate in this project can take home a gift tag of their choosing.
Those taking a tag are asked to record information on the signup sheet near the Angel Tree Display (family code number, whether it is for a toy or clothing, and their own contact information).
This is so that if that tag gift is not returned on time, or it has been misplaced, the committee will be able to get ahold of the person responsible and make arrangements for that child’s gifts to be fulfilled, either by the original donor, or by one of our volunteer shoppers.
Some families choose several gift tags, so people need to remember to record this information for every tag they take home.
If someone wishes to choose a gift tag, but would prefer to have someone else do the shopping for them, they can contact the person in charge from their church. Monetary donations may be given to any pastor or dropped off at Pinnacle Bank.
Gifts are to be returned to churches by Sunday, Dec. 12, unwrapped and placed in a gift bag with the original Angel Tree tag attached. Having gifts returned to the church by this date enables the Angel Tree committee time to organize and distribute the gifts to families by Friday, Dec. 17, before school is closed for Christmas vacation.
Families will be assigned a specific time to pick up their gift bags.
Perkins County has always been so generous in supporting this project. They will once again be part of making it a Merry Christmas for many local children.
Committee members this year are Susan Hanson, Shari Friedel, Sally Shiers, Alecia Einspahr, Diana Richter-Tate, Chelsey Tines and Donna Mayer.