Angel Tree gift return deadline Friday

Dec. 7—Deadline to return gifts for an angel tree project is Friday — with less than 40 angels still remaining to be selected from the tree.

The McAlester News-Capital and the McAlester Lions' Club partnered again on an Angel Tree to provide clothes and a toy for children in need during the holiday season. Friday marks the deadline for gifts to be returned to the newspaper office at 500 S. Second St. in McAlester.

"We are again so grateful for the community support on this project to help children in need," News-Capital Publisher Reina Owens said. "We have a few angels left on the tree and we hope anyone is able can help get them some gifts returned to us by Friday."

The News-Capital and Lions Club first partnered on the project last year — with community members picking nearly 150 angels from the tree on the first day and ultimately helped 278 children in need.

Lori Jernigen and her daughters, Megan and Ashley, told the News-Capital they enjoy finding ways to help people have happier holidays — and jumped at the chance to help with the Angel Tree this year.

The family members reminisced about previous holidays, when the children would get money for Christmas only to put it back toward someone in need.

"They would say 'I just want my money to go for angel,'" Lori said. "Then we'd pick an angel out and spend the money."

Now, they continue the tradition and try to teach Ashley's young children about what they called Christmas magic.

"Mom always bought what she could when we were little so we just want to help everybody and try to give them the best Christmas that we can," Megan said.

The Jernigens returned their first set of presents for angels on Monday and picked a few more to help.

Angels on trees at the News-Capital represent a child in and around Pittsburg County needing some help over the holidays. Each child receives at least an outfit, shoes, toys, jacket, and gloves — along with one small toy.

Children qualified as angels if they came from a family in the area experiencing financial crisis — with nomination deadline coming in November.

Anyone can select an angel from the tree and return gifts unwrapped to the News-Capital office by Friday.

Every angel on the tree is numbered, so anyone purchasing gifts for an angel must number the gifts.

Sponsors for angels can contact the News-Capital office now so we can take your name and number to send you an angel after all nominations have been received.

Anyone who would rather make a donation or volunteer to shop for angels can also contact the News-Capital. Checks need to be made to the McAlester News-Capital Angel Tree.

Donations of new unwrapped toys, hygiene items, wrapping paper and holiday gift sacks will also be accepted.

Volunteers and staff will help package and deliver everything to designated areas for the angels.

Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com