Salvation Army Angel Tree Bears Fruit

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thursday, the Salvation Army Angel Tree bore the requested gift to parents and guardians at the Fairgrounds.

"It was a bike. That's what he got. And I just got my baby a car toy, and my girls wanted a CD walkman, and a DVD player," mother Tasha Burton said.

She got just about everything her kids wanted, and so did hundreds of other families. The Angel Tree program lets Oklahomans adopt needy families and then buy presents from the families' wish list.

The Salvation Army can always count on lots of volunteers to help deliver the presents. For Wendy Aguilar, it's a way to give back.

"It makes me feel really good that I can give to somebody else I know has been in the same boat that I've been in," Salvation Army volunteer Wendy Aguilar said.

The Salvation Army has been doing this every Christmas for over thirty years. But with the economy tanking, there were worries it might be harder to find enough donors this year. However, Oklahomans came through and there was no shortage of donors.

"The community has poured out their hearts to us, and these kids are going to have a great Christmas," Maj. Alan Hill with the Salvation Army said.

The Angel Tree distribution will continue Friday. Besides 6,000 plus children, the program also benefits several hundred senior citizens and handicapped adults.

"They're doing a great job helping families. It really makes Christmas better for a lot of people," mother Jerri Taylor said.