By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Angel Trees for the annual Teaming Up for Tots in Ellis County went up up this weekend.
Community members are invited to take an angel from one of the trees and purchase a toy/gift or clothing item for a child listed on the angel.
Heidi Rohleder, organizer, said the organization received about the same number of gift requests as it had in years past — 225 to 250. The information was still being entered into the TUFT database when Hays Post interviewed Rohleder earlier this week.
"The program helps support underprivileged children in Ellis County so they can have a toy item and clothing item. There are two angels for each child," Rohleder said.
The angels represent children ages newborn to 17.
Teens are often the hardest to buy for, Rohleder said. Some families request gift cards for these children, which will be noted on the angels.
Trees this year are at Walmart, Big Creek Crossing, First Kansas Bank and HaysMed.
Gift drop off locations will be at Walmart, Maurices, First Kansas Bank, The Paisley Pear and Northwestern Printers.
All gifts need to be dropped off by Dec. 16.
The gifts should be unwrapped. TUFT provides tape and wrapping paper to the families when they pick up their gifts.
TUFT also accepts monetary donations. These donations are used to buy wrapping supplies as well as gifts for angels for which no gift is returned.
Monetary donations can be made to Teaming up for Tots, PO Box 542, Hays, KS 67601.
Follow TUFT and the Angel Tree Project on Facebook.
Corrected, 9 a.m. Monday to correct the spelling of Heidi Rohleder. Hays Post apologizes for the error.