Angel Tree helping nearly 400 this year
Dec. 3—Malissa Fronterhouse and Priscilla Bevans said they wanted to help people in need over the holidays.
The two women came in this week to select angels from the Angel Tree at the McAlester News-Capital — with Fronterhouse saying she wanted pay forward a favor from previous holiday seasons.
"When I was younger and my kids were little, I had to get help with something like this because I didn't have money and I was walking to work," Fronterhouse said. "I just feel like this is really important."
Bevans said she noticed families in the area in need in recent years and she always tries to find a way to help.
She said each year brings ways that she and All-About-You Plumbing try to help the community.
"We donate all the time," Bevans said. "I've brought clothes and stuff to the youth shelter, we donate left and right. We've donated turkeys before, and all kinds of other things. We try to help whoever needs it."
All angels on the tree were accounted for by the end of Thursday.
Anyone getting gifts for angels must deliver those gifts by Dec. 6 to the McAlester News-Capital offices at 500 S. Second St. in McAlester.
Those gifts must be unwrapped with the assigned number marked on the gifts.
The McAlester News-Capital and McAlester Lions Club started the Angel Tree three years ago as way to help people in need during the holidays at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community support made it possible for 278 children in need received a gift and clothes in the inaugural event and last year's event helped more than 300 children in and around Pittsburg County.
Toliver Chevrolet made a sizable donation this year in a partnership to make the event the biggest ever this year — helping 380 children to receive gifts for the holidays.
"We can't thank the Lions Club and Toliver Chevrolet enough for partnering with us on this project to help our community over the holidays," MN-C Publisher Reina Owens said. "We can't wait to get all the gifts delivered to the schools so our community's children have a merrier Christmas."
The News-Capital received angel nominations from school counselors and community partners in October and early November.
Cards on trees at the News-Capital represent a child in and around Pittsburg County needing assistance over the holidays. Each child on the tree is anonymous and receives at least one outfit, shoes, toys, jacket, and gloves — along with one small toy.
Angels became available in mid-November for anyone to select and then get them gifts.
People 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.
Anyone with further questions can contact Owens at 918-421-2010 or Lexey Lund at 918-421-2016.
Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
