Employees show generosity through Angel Tree program

  • Published
  • By Donald Smith Jr.
  • Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
DENVER (AFPN) --  For the 10th consecutive year, members of the Air Reserve Personnel Center and Defense Finance and Accounting Service at Buckley Annex here came together and participated in the Angel Tree program which netted more than 100 toys for local charities.

There were two Angel Trees set up in the centers. The trees were adorned with tags stating the age of the child and suggestions of what they would like to receive. Some listed one present, while others listed several.

“People are going above and beyond this year,” said Senior Master Sgt. Lew Sutton, ARPC’s 2005 Angel Tree coordinator.

This year’s Angel Tree represented the wants and needs of the youngsters from the Curtis Park Community Center, Day One Day Care Center and ARPC’s Operation Warm Heart, a special program designed to help Airmen in need during the holiday season.

“The toys were great,” said Julia Hall, the director of emergency services at the Curtis Park Community Center. “They were high-end, high quality toys that the children will thoroughly enjoy.”

“(When) I open my office door to a ton of gifts, it’s a reminder of how generous people are,” Sergeant Sutton said. “(It’s great how) people can dig deep for strangers, making their holidays bright.”

Even after hurricane relief efforts and the Combined Federal Campaign, people still found a way to give to those less fortunate this holiday season.

“It’s nice (to see) people’s generosity,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jeff Hancock, the event’s co-coordinator.

“Gifts came in from about 100 people,” Sergeant Sutton said.

Some of the gifts that made it to local children came from as far away as Arizona and Missouri. They came from individual mobilization augmentees attached to ARPC and heard about the Angel Tree. They asked for names and sent in presents.

“ARPC and DFAS personnel enthusiastically came through, providing anywhere from one to seven items the child had listed, making this program a huge success,” Sergeant Sutton said.