By: Sarah Iani
Posted In: News
Photo credit: Sarah Iani
The Angel Tree and donations are displayed in the Miley lobby.
Peeking through a thin crowd of eager students, a small yet proud tree stands tall beneath their stares. Bedecked with old-fashioned red, gold and green ball ornaments, the tree has a silvery sheen that is caught in the light of day. A few interested young women look it over, fingering the real attraction to the tree: the tags that hang delicately from its limbs.
The tags cry, “Be an Angel,” as does the homemade sign next to the tree, the red angel bear on the tag inviting donors. On the reverse side, a name is printed with a wish list of the only toys the child will get this year if picked. These tags mean only one thing: The Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree Project has returned to Salve Regina University. The project is in its second year at Salve due to an overwhelming response from students, staff and faculty. Two hundred tickets are hung on the tree annually, from the time the tree goes up in the lobby of Miley Hall the Friday before Thanksgiving to the deadline, Dec. 12. Last year 100 tickets were taken in one day. Sarah B. Kelly, community service coordinator for Salve, was impressed by the immediate response to the tree in the community. “I didn’t think it was going to have such a huge response,” Kelly said. “It is one of our most successful projects.” The Angel Giving Tree Project was brought to the campus when Kelly was approached by the Salvation Army during the Service Fair in September 2002. Donors pick a tag from the tree and buy a gift from the wish list. Gifts are wrapped, with the tag attached, and brought to the Community Service office by the deadline. The average gift consists of clothing and toys, although last year Kelly saw Gameboys, stereo systems, and even bicycles dropped off. “The students are extremely generous,” Kelly said. Even students who are not wealthy pick tags, donating what they can. One student who shares in the Christmas spirit is Bekki Goncarovs, a resident assistant and sophomore in 134 Webster. This is the second year she has participated in the project, and this year had picked two children from the tree to sponsor. “I was blessed with parents who could give me a great Christmas every year,” Goncarovs said. “After I got the first child, I decided to get another one because there were a lot left.” She spent about $12 on each child’s clothing and toys, including a Bayblade, a popular child’s toy, and two Buzz Light Year story books. This year, Kelly got a similar response to the previous year. The typical donors are female students, although there has been a larger response from staff and faculty in donations. “This will definitely be an annual project,” Kelly said. The Salvation Army is an international organization that follows the mainstream of Christian belief to scheme for the social betterment of the poor. Through its dedication to fighting evil, the Army cooperates with churches of all denominations to meet the needs of the community. Eighty-three cents of every dollar is spent to fund direct services for those in need. The red kettle is a staple outside shops during the holiday season, and donations provide dinners, clothing and toys for families in need, as well as financial assistance with the basic necessities of life. In 2002, the Army provided holiday assistance for 5.9 million people in the United States.
