More than 50 Newton County children will have gifts to open Christmas Day thanks to the generosity of local residents, business and organizations, who participated in this year’s Angel Tree program, which is organized through The Salvation Army.
Emily Pugh, director for Newton Chamber, which hosted Newton County’s Angel Tree program, said residents really answered the call this year, providing gifts for 54 Angels, all of whom were from Newton County.
“We got all the ones from Newton County,” she said.
Pugh said this is the second year Newton Chamber has hosted a local Angel Tree. The first year, she said, they opted to have only 48 angels and quickly ran out. For this year’s tree, Newton Chamber made sure to ask for additional angels.
“I think that was good because we had people last year who wanted to participate but couldn’t because all the angels had already been taken,” she said.
The collected gifts were picked up Thursday at the Newton Depot, filling a Salvation Army delivery truck. Pugh said they ended up with 19 bicycles and a mountain of other gifts that will be delivered to needy children to open Christmas Day.
Throughout her time as director of Newton Chamber, Pugh said she has been overwhelmed by the spirit of giving residents show with their time and money, and the Angel Tree program is no different. Individuals, businesses and civic groups all participated in this year’s program, making it a huge success and ensuring dozens of children will have a merry Christmas.
On behalf of Newton Chamber, Pugh said a big thank you is owed to all who adopted an angel and participated in the program. After running out of angels for the second year in a row, she said she is looking forward to next year.
