Angel Giving Tree set to provide hundreds of children with Christmas presents
Contact:
Nick Ragner
Development Director
(608)782-6126 x239
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Angel Giving Tree set to provide hundreds of children with Christmas presents
LA CROSSE – A tree that brings joy to hundreds of children every year will soon light up for another Christmas season.
The Salvation Army’s Angel Giving Tree is set to go up at Valley View Mall on Saturday, November 11th. Along with Christmas decorations, the Tree also displays tags that feature children signed up for the program – which provides each child with a brand new shirt, pants, and pair of shoes. Tags include a child’s name, age, clothing sizes, and some of their interests. Shoppers are asked to take a tag and play the role of ‘Santa Claus’.
“A lot of us sometimes take Christmas for granted. The presents, the giving, the celebration – some families don’t have the means to recognize Christmas as the holiday that many of us have come to know and love,” said Nick Ragner of The Salvation Army. “The Angel Giving Tree provides these families with presents for their kids so they can continue focusing on their household needs instead of what’s under the tree.”
The Angel Giving Tree will be on display at Valley View Mall until Friday, December 8th. Presents can be returned to the Tree or to The Salvation Army. Shoppers are asked to include the original tag and a gift receipt with the presents. Distribution of the presents will be held on Thursday, December 14th at the National Guard Armory in Onalaska.
“We were able to provide more than 1,000 kids with presents last year. This year, we’re looking at around the same number,” said Ragner. “This program would not be possible without the community’s support.”
Trees with tags will also be featured at every Shopko store throughout the La Crosse area starting on November 17th.
Along with the start of the Angel Giving Tree, The Salvation Army will also kick-off its bell ringing portion of the Red Kettle Campaign on November 11th. For more information on The Salvation Army’s Christmas programs, visit www.SalvationArmyLaCrosse.org.