The Messenger/ Ngoc Vo

Pike County Salvation Army has finished the application process for its Angel Tree program this year, and Christmas presents are on the way.
The Angel Tree program was designed to serve children aged 12 and under who may not have a merry Christmas otherwise. This annual event organized by the Salvation Army helps children from low income background and unfortunate circumstances receive Christmas presents.
According to Kim May, Salvation Army Service Center director, the parents of eligible children submitted the children’s wish lists when they came to fill out their applications. Presents will be ready for parents to pick up on Dec. 13.
“What we do was we had applications out all throughout November, then we put up our Angel Tree for adoption,” May said. “The presents will be things that the children need and a few things that they want like toys, clothes and sometimes blankets.
“We have been very fortunate that all our angels have always been adopted over the years …  This year we have about 150 angels adopted.”
May said she figured there are a couple of thousand children in our local community who would benefit from programs like Angel Tree. Other groups and organizations are also helping to provide children with presents and the spirit of Christmas.
“We just want to make some children happy on Christmas morning,” May said.
Agencies that have taken in angels include Saint Martin Catholic Church and Wal-Mart Distribution Center. May said the participating organizations adopt between 25 and 50 angels every year.
“We adopt several angels each year and this has become tradition,” said Kenny May, president of Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society, Alabama South Lodge 420.
“As a non-profit, this is what we are all about, to do the good in the community. We try to adopt as many angels as we can and go as close to fulfill their list as we can, spending at least $100 per kid.”
According to Kenny May, the organization never met the children they gave presents to, but that it not the point of the Angel Tree program.
“I think children don’t need to know or don’t care where the presents come from,” he said.  “They just want the spirit of Christmas. I hope (the Christmas present program) means a lot to them and I think it does.”
Every child, if all possible, should have Christmases they can remember, he said.