In celebration of the holiday season, students, faculty, and staff and the University
of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith gathered together this week to pull the first angel tags
from the Salvation Army鈥檚 Angel Tree.
The large, glittery faux pine in the Campus Center lobby has been decorated with paper tags from the each year for more than a decade, bringing the needs of the community to the eyes of those on campus. In 2016, the Salvation Army provided more than 13,000 gifts to children in the river valley region.
Captain Staci Gainey, with the Salvation Army, thanked the crowded room for attending the kick-off, but also for understanding what these requests truly mean. Though parents find so much happiness in watching their children open a play kitchen set or a new soccer ball, there are also tears in knowing that without this program their children wouldn鈥檛 have new shoes, blankets or coats for the winter, Gainey explained.
Joel Bustillos, took to the stage following Gainey, to share a first-hand perspective of the angel tree鈥檚 impact. A previous recipient of angel tree gifts, and one of four sons being raised by a single mother, Bustillos explained his mom鈥檚 struggle to embrace the glee felt by others during the Christmas season while dreading the bills she knew were hovering over her head. 鈥淲hile my mom dreaded the Christmas season, my brothers and I always looked forward to it.鈥�
鈥淲hen she heard of the Angel Tree Program, she immediately signed us up for it,鈥� Bustillos said. 鈥淪he always raised us to be grateful for anything and everything we received, and though a few presents may not have seemed much to some people, to me, they meant the world.鈥�
As Bustillos got older, he learned where the gifts came from. He knew the enormous weight those gifts took off his mother, and the immense joy they brought to his family. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 wait to give back,鈥� he said with a smile. 鈥淔ast forward to the present times, and I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to give to the families that need it most.鈥� As he exited the stage, Bustillos pulled a paper angel from the tree.
As the ceremony concluded, 91老司机 music students Reagan Heppner and Abbie Jones sang carols, and guests sipped cider and cocoa. Jane Sargent chose two angels, one whose gifts she would buy, and one whose gifts would be provided by the 91老司机 volleyball team. Stephanie London, Director of Student Activities and Jordan Dart, president of the 91老司机 Student Government Association, pulled tags next. In the half-hour that followed, the tree went from full to bare as more kind-hearted lions took tags with children鈥檚 names and needs for the holiday season.
The angels will adorn the tree in the campus center until December 1, and gifts are due back by December 2.
This year, the organization is overseeing the campus Angel Tree and the collection of gifts, which may be dropped off in the Student Activities Office of the Smith Pendergraft Campus Center.
The Lion Hearts organization aims to empower students, staff, faculty, and 91老司机 supporters to work collaboratively with campus and community partners to become responsible global citizens and informed leaders through service to others