Angel Tree to provide gifts for needy children
November 19, 2014
Charlea Mills
The Angel Tree program this year will have a new sponsor thanks to the First Christian Church. The program which provides Christmas gifts to needy children all over Barry County, has been a project by the Barry County Sheriff’s Department over the years. However, according to Sheriff Mick Epperly, it just became to be too big of an undertaking for the staff.
Epperly said, “We had so many gifts last year that it took a long time to even wrap the gifts, not counting anything else. We just don’t have enough people to keep it running, so the First Christian Church is going to take it over.”
Families have to meet certain income requirements to qualify for the program, and there is an application process to ensure that only families in need receive gifts for the children in the home. Children enrolled in HeadStart are also included in Angel Tree. Gifts are only for children, but it is a weight off of many parents’ shoulders to know that their children will have a good Christmas even though finances are tight and they aren’t able to buy gifts for them.
Pastor Tom Thomas, of First Christian, said, “They asked us if we would, and we just wanted to help out. We just wanted to help the children of Barry County and Sheriff’s Department as much as we can.”
Both businesses and individuals from the community can either donate funds for the program or choose an angel off of the tree at the church to choose a child to buy gifts for and deliver them to the church by December 12. Volunteers at the church will then wrap the gifts for the families to pick up for their children before Christmas.
The First Christian Church will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week for applications. Applications are due by November 30, and gifts will be distributed to the families on December 22. For more information about signing up or providing gifts for a family in need, call the church at (417) 847-2460.
Charlea Mills
The Angel Tree program this year will have a new sponsor thanks to the First Christian Church. The program which provides Christmas gifts to needy children all over Barry County, has been a project by the Barry County Sheriff’s Department over the years. However, according to Sheriff Mick Epperly, it just became to be too big of an undertaking for the staff.
Epperly said, “We had so many gifts last year that it took a long time to even wrap the gifts, not counting anything else. We just don’t have enough people to keep it running, so the First Christian Church is going to take it over.”
Families have to meet certain income requirements to qualify for the program, and there is an application process to ensure that only families in need receive gifts for the children in the home. Children enrolled in HeadStart are also included in Angel Tree. Gifts are only for children, but it is a weight off of many parents’ shoulders to know that their children will have a good Christmas even though finances are tight and they aren’t able to buy gifts for them.
Pastor Tom Thomas, of First Christian, said, “They asked us if we would, and we just wanted to help out. We just wanted to help the children of Barry County and Sheriff’s Department as much as we can.”
Both businesses and individuals from the community can either donate funds for the program or choose an angel off of the tree at the church to choose a child to buy gifts for and deliver them to the church by December 12. Volunteers at the church will then wrap the gifts for the families to pick up for their children before Christmas.
The First Christian Church will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week for applications. Applications are due by November 30, and gifts will be distributed to the families on December 22. For more information about signing up or providing gifts for a family in need, call the church at (417) 847-2460.