By APRIL MIDDLETON

Salina Journal

Armed with a little boy's name, age and clothing size, Mark Arnold picked out a couple of outfits and a coat for the boy.

He hopes the gifts will make Christmas a little brighter for the 6-year-old Salina boy and his family.

This was the first year that Arnold has participated in the Salvation Army's Angel Tree, which provides clothing for a child in need at Christmas.

"I've always given to charities," Arnold, of Assaria, said. "I was walking around this year and saw the tree and decided to do it."

Arnold dropped the items off, and dropped a cash donation in the kettle Sunday afternoon. The tree is located near the J.C. Penney store in Central Mall. Volunteers from Christ Victory Assembly of God Church work at the tree seven days a week.

"It was fun. I'm glad I did it," he said.

The Angel Tree will provide for 879 children, from 473 families, this year. That's 159 more children than last year, and the second highest total in the history of the tree, said Roxanne Matous, Salvation Army office manager.

With less than a week remaining until gifts need to be returned, 100 children's names are still on the tree.

Each angel on the tree has the name of a child age 12 or younger and gives size information.

Purchasers aren't required to buy everything on the angel, Matous said, but people "are typically very generous," Matous said.

Selecting names from the tree is a tradition for some. Some families buy children's clothing throughout the year and then select an angel to match those sizes. Jim's Formal Wear selects 30 names (15 boys and 15 girls) from the tree every year, Matous said.

Purchasing gifts for a child through the Angel Tree is a good way for people to know exactly where their gifts are going.

"You are putting material items into a home," Matous said. "You know that you are putting clothing or a coat on a little kid."

It's not just the children people are helping, though, she said.

Donors also are helping parents.

"You are helping them to provide Christmas for their kids. That's a big deal for a parent," she said.

Matous said the need for all Christmas assistance the Salvation Army offers is greater this year. The organization will serve 150 more families than it did last year, she said.

n Reporter April Middleton can be reached at 822-1409 or by e-mail at amiddleton@salina.com.

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IceMan says....
Buying clothes for needy kids is cool, but when the kids demand expensive PlayStations or gang rap CDs, I draw the line.
12/8/2008

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